Loving The Faraway Angel
by WeLcOmE2pArAdIsE
Summary: AU: SasuSaku: Ch. 6: Linger: He turned on his heel— And a knee was slammed into his stomach. He fell to his knees at her bare feet, sputtering, as she demanded, “What are you doing in here?
1. Prologue: Where She Sleeps

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or the characters, but you know that I wish I did.

Well here it is...WTP's _first ever_ AU. So let me get this off my chest right now and say

**That I HATE AU's.**

My favorites list has exactly 0. I have honestly never read one that I could stand. If you know some, direct me, I'll try them out, but I can't promise anything. So I'm writing something I loathe, basically, so you're wondering 'why the fuck is she writing it?'

Because I had this idea that won't leave me alone so too damn bad. I'm gonna try. This is my first and probably only for now AU. So just review it and tell me what you thought...I accept flames because I wholeheartedly expect it to suck. I just don't want it to fall into a cliche.

_Background:_

_Sasuke and Sakura are juniors at a private high school. Assume they are 16/17 and base other character ages off of those. Don't know about other pairings yet. Blah. --cringes-- go ahead then._

* * *

**No Words Needed: Loving the Faraway Angel**

_An AU Sasu/Saku._

_He knows everything about her. Favorite color and song, what she wears to sleep and that she likes to be picked up and swung in circles. She prefers fall to summer and enjoys making things explode. Candles are only acceptable if they smell like cinnamon apple. He is in love with this angel._

_He knows everything about her..._

_Too bad he has yet to speak to her._

Prologue: Where She Sleeps

"In...I-in there?"

The brass polished numbers on the heavy wooden door, which was designed to keep fire from spreading throughout the compound, formed the number "208"; it might as well be a sign that says "The love of my life is on the other side of the door, breathing."

Well...it might not say _that_.

"Yes, in there, Sasuke."

I swallow noticeably, eyes nearly tearing from staring so hard at the shining numbers, and I stuff my sweating hands in my pockets, staring in disbelief at my brother as though it is a joke. The hallway is deserted, for even zero hour classes have not yet begun and existence is merely us, two newly promoted upperclassman standing in the corridor on the spotless carpet. My brother and his cerulean eyes stare right through me as I look around the vicinity, as if afraid of being overheard, and he raises an eyebrow as he watches me struggle to form the words. After a tense moment, my voice, which is quiet from permanent lack of use and an adolescence of introverted behavior, I finally choke out:

"But...right _here_? This _room_? 2–0–8?" I ask in shock, keeping my hands deep in my pockets out of fear that I do not reveal to anyone but him. Naruto knows I am nervous, but as he always said, you learn to swim by being thrown in. That's how I learned.

And I nearly drowned.

So I was pretty reluctant to the idea of just knocking on the door and saying anything; in my mind it was idiocy and completely ludicrous. Naruto obviously did not feel that way; he crossed the hallway swiftly and raised his hand to knock, and out of fear of his obnoxious and straightforward personality, I tackled him to the carpet and put a hand over his mouth.

"Don't!"

Slapping my hand away he shook his head out of pity and said, "Sasuke..."

"Well...you could wake her up," was my lame excuse. Only one of many, many excuses that I had concocted in my sleeping and waking moments alike, just to avoid this moment, just to avoid thanking her. It had been nearly two weeks since she had found Naruto and I, me stumbling like an idiot up the hallway babbling nonsense which was one of my embarrassing tendencies when no one hid the liquor from me. I am a bit annoyed...one drink always seemed to turn into two...or five...and my mother would turn over in her grave if she ever saw me touch alcohol at such a young age. So would my father. 'Course, they're not around to berate me.

Or love me.

Point is, I had to thank her sometime...I just didn't know when or how. Naruto said a simple 'Thank you' would suffice, but I don't think so...I could do something special, but is that coming on too strong...too strong for _what_, you might ask?

As much as it embarrasses me to admit this...

I'm in love.

'**Cause I wanna be that someone that you're with...**

* * *

_September 1st; 11:37 pm. 4th level, the carpeted floor._

"AND I–I–IIIII...ugh fuck..."

"Just don't open your mouth!" Naruto snapped, elbowing me in the ribs; I let out a dramatic cry and slid to the carpet, limbs thrown out unceremoniously as though I was sprawled on the asphalt after being ejected from a car. Everything was positively light and fuzzy and happy and Naruto's face swam as if I were underwater...I liked swimming, after I had learned how...after being thrown in a million times in his pool as children. I felt myself rolling in hysterical laughter caused only by my stupid tendency once again...what tendency?

"I don't have a problem!" I yelled, kicking the blonde in the shin and then collapsing into hysteria once again.

"I didn't say you...ugh," he groaned and with a piteous shake of the head, sat down next to me. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Oh no not IIIIII...I will surviii-i-i-ve!" I burst out, high-pitched in mimicry of a female tone and outrageously slid the notes in torrents of drunkenness; my tongue tasted furry and felt a bit swollen, but that was okay because the carpet was comfortable and I could have slept right there if Naruto hadn't given me a kick in the side.

"It's the first day and you're already fitting in," he accused ruefully, rolling his eyes at my sorry state.

"There's a fucking rabbit in my mouth," I said in an annoyed voice, spitting a gob of saliva into the air to rid the taste; it landed back in my open mouth and I began to choke on it.

"Not that I don't enjoy watching you make an ass of yourself, but while alcoholism is the norm around this place, a hangover on the first day is not a great impression."

My cognitive reasoning was certainly on the sluggish side as I ceased my dramatic choking fit and let out a groan; "Whasss...today?"

"Monday. Monday night, to be exact, and in a few minutes it'll be _tomorrow_," Naruto said, getting to his feet and grabbing my wrists; with a toe in the skull for good measure, he began to drag me across the carpet; I remember the pretty lights dancing way up above me like stars, but we weren't outside, at least not that I remember. There were doors all around; most people were in others' dorms at their own parties, since it was the first day back and we were all meeting up with friends as if we hadn't gotten completely wasted the night before taking the train back to this middle-of-nowhere hellhole private school. Well, it wasn't in the middle of nowhere, it just wasn't home. But for me, nowhere is home, but since I'm forced to sit here and stare out of windows all day and then sleep here, it's not terribly fun. At least it's autumn...I happen to like the leaves.

I guess I can still think through my drunken haze...so I guess I can try to tell you the reason I'm here on a Monday night, first night as a junior in high school with a bunch of others, ruthlessly thrust into the college setting with no attendance and a huge campus. Oh yeah, the parties and fraternities too...being dragged across the carpet in the carpeted fancy corridor where Naruto and I share a dorm.

A private high school is really the only choice for us, since while growing up in a huge house with all the perks, a public school doesn't really exist. Those of the high social class on the pyramid are thrown into private schools, almost literally ripped from the womb and are carefully watched over and smacked with rulers occasionally from that day until we go off to college. Everybody that lives around here _is_ the high social class; therefore, we all are put in a box with decorations and few windows and stay here until summer, which is the two month period of freedom.

The reason I'm on the floor right now...guess I had one too many drinks...everybody in this snobby town seems to drink from age 8. One of the many weird things about living here, and even weirder is that nobody seems to_ care_. The lack of disciplinary action in this place is another thing, considering our parents pay out of the ass to keep us here, not that it's exactly a dent in the budget. Maybe that's why. Cell phones aren't allowed; us students text through class constantly, as long as you aren't caught. It really is a college setting...attendance isn't required, as long as you turn in everything and pass...although most of us don't work to pass since they can't kick us out...it all goes back to the money.

"I like my moooter bike-kah!" I burst out, letting my semi-reasonable thoughts be buried beneath a blanket of intoxication and I laugh strangely once again as my monosyllabic drunken cry rings throughout the corridor. Naruto is still dragging me across the carpet in an effort to bring me back to our room so he can heave me onto my bed and let me sleep it off. A swirling picture comes forth in my mind, a picture of the described motorbike that I still can't ride...I'm still working on the licence part.

As I erupt in drunken laughter again, I hear a door open and Naruto curse under his breath; most of us were okay about it, but it would be our damn luck for some snobby girl lifting her eye mask and complaining about her lack of beauty sleep...there's always a few of those. They're pretty, but the way they babble about things makes me want to impale myself with a metal spike.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention...I've been labeled dangerously quiet and a self-injurer, even though I have not attempted the latter...those sort of kids bother me. They only say that because I have no parents and I tend to stare out windows. Typical; the counselor hates me anyway because she's wrong and my dark eyes remind her of her former wife-beating husband that left her with three kids and a wrenched shoulder. She doesn't admit that nor did she tell me that, but when I found the old pictures and her personal background file as I occupied myself one meeting with the baby-talking woman, I sort of pieced it together.

Blearily, I look through tearing eyes from my side-splitting laughter and find a pair of feet right by my face, sinking into the carpet; silver painted toenails wiggle a bit and I cry out as the girl they belong to grins at me, inches away.

"Someone's wasted," she commented obviously, nudging my forehead with her nose and grinning; her white-blonde hair falls over me and I know it's Ino.

"Sorry we awoke you from your deep beauty sleep," Naruto teases, letting my wrists fall to the carpet. Ino stuck her tongue out and straightened up, her tall frame towering over me. She stared down at me and rolled her eyes.

Another door opened a ways down the corridor and the small, cute face of Hinata poked around the corner; her blue slippers revealed feet turned in out of shyness and, seeing Naruto, quickly covered her ample chest, not that she could hide it. I grinned.

"Since when is that _your_ room?" Naruto asked, an uncharacteristically haughty look on his face; despite his protests, they might as well have been a married couple, for he constantly hovered over her shoulder like a bodyguard and 'protected' her from other guys. Mm.

"I told you, Naruto!" Ino said loudly; I moaned and covered my ears because she was so damn loud. "I'm getting a new roommate! The one that I had to show around before."

Naruto slapped his forehead; I cried out again from the shock to my sensitive eardrums and they seemed to have forgotten I was on the floor at their feet.

"You know much about her? She nice? Preppy? Suck-up? What?" Naruto asked, sounding like a gossiping girl himself.

Ino rested her weight on one skinny hip and stepped on my hand accidentally; I couldn't really feel it at this point, and instead I listened:

"I spent about a week with her...she seems like an all-around good person. Likes to have fun, but doesn't get herself into trouble," she said snidely, giving me a glare at my place on the carpet. "She's in all my classes and probably most of yours too. Not preppy, not a terrible suck-up, but she's got this sarcastic streak about her, makes me laugh."

"What's she look like?" Naruto asked in curiosity. I watched Hinata shift slightly. Then I burped to break the silence; it tasted like liquor.

"Shorter, about Hinata's height, pretty eyes, like jade, and pink hair–"

I must have snorted or something, because Ino put on her teasing smile and looked down at me. "What's wrong with pink hair? It's not dyed like she's a punk or anything...it's natural. Weirdest thing, but she's really pretty," the blonde admitted, a tinge of sourness on her lips. "She wouldn't look twice at _you_," she jibed, tapping my sore body with her foot.

"I think she'll be a cool roommate though. And since she's new...no more 'initiations', okay? Nearly gave Hinata a heart attack with hers," she added, again throwing me a teasing glare; I laughed in spite of the fact Hinata had involuntarily shuddered in remembrance of her initiation. "I already told everyone else to give the girl breathing room. That goes for all of you."

"Yes ma'am!" I burst out sarcastically; she kicked me in the head and I yelled out again. Naruto seemed to realize that I was on the floor and grinned. Asshole...discussing girls when I could have been in bed.

"Oi, Ino!"

By the stairs was a tall boy with an earring in each ear and dark hair, dragging what seemed to be a red luggage set and carrying a purse delicately on his shoulder that presumably did not belong to him. I sat up a bit and squinted and realized that someone was following him, looking around at the surroundings. She had pink hair, but that was about it as I let myself fall back to the carpet and close my eyes. I was too tired.

The pink hair swirled in front of my vision as if teasing me. I laid on the floor and listened to them talk around me.

"Shikamaru!" Ino cooed, and I felt her step on my hand again to better greet her boyfriend.

"I was coming up here to see you and ironically enough, I've met your new roommate," Shikamaru said above me, stepping aside to let someone else through; light footsteps that didn't hurt my ears walked slowly around me and gently brushed my elbow; I jerked and that was what must have alerted her to my presence on the floor.

"Omigod! What's wrong with him?"

Is she referring to_ my_ drunken self?

"Oh, he tends to do that," Naruto said airily, and I felt him grab my wrists again, apparently ready to drag me back to our room, but she made a piteous noise under her breath and I felt her knees push against my side and she must have knelt next to me; I caught a seductive scent of cherries and the smell of fire and smoke, the autumn air.

"But...he's okay?" she asked: Her voice was beautiful, like a gentle hymn from wind itself, and it was so genuine...

"Yeah, like Naruto said, he tends to do that," Shikamaru drawled, and I heard him set down the luggage that the girl had brought; that too carried the scent of cherries and autumn. Damn her.

"But he's...nearly unconscious...where's his room?" she asked, voice so full of concern; I jerked violently as I felt the softest skin push the ebony locks off my flushed forehead and she placed a hand on my shoulder to hold me steady. She was so close...her scent nearly choked me as she placed her head near mine, as if to hear my shaking breaths, but that wasn't the liquor, it was just...she sounded beautiful...she smelled beautiful, she was something that didn't deserve to be in _my_ presence.

"He needs to sleep this off right now. Where's his room?" she repeated, pulling her head away...a strange part of me yearned for her touch again as she removed her hand from my shoulder.

"He rooms with me...here," Naruto said, grabbing my wrists again, but then he let them fall to the carpet; instead, someone sat me up and took my arm and put it over their shoulders...I knew it was this girl, this little angel that had come waltzing into our school and pitied me immediately. Two strong grips pulled me to my feet and prodded me to walk.

"I'll be back," she told the group; my eyes remained closed and I let my feet drag across the carpet as they carried me to the dorm.

"Your name?" she inquired, without bothering to introduce herself.

"Naruto, Uzumaki," Naruto told her; they stopped dragging me and I felt my shoulder dip as the blonde fumbled with the key. "Friends with Ino."

"I presumed," she said. I felt my feet bounce over the threshold and I could sense the familiarness of my own room; the two stumbled over our mess to find my bed and lay me upon it.

My head hit the pillow and my brain was flooded with thoughts of sleep, and I probably would have had a cold cloth not shocked the shit out of me; this girl was washing my forehead.

"And this one?" she asked, as though I were a specimen or an animal, yet her voice had a loving tone to it, as if she frequently spoke with children or sensitive people.

"Oh him? Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto said for me, giving me a playful punch in the shoulder.

"Friends, I take it?"

"He's lived with me for years."

The girl did not press the point, although I expected her to...everybody wanted to know how I came to be. Instead she removed the cloth from my forehead and ran her fingers over my now cold skin. And suddenly I wanted to open my eyes...I had to see this beautiful girl, so moaning as I did so, I pulled my eyelids apart–

"Oh..." I murmured, staring up at her gorgeous face that looked down upon me, before piteous, now a bit amused. It's nothing but heaven. Naruto laughed at the look on my face...little did he know the thoughts running through my mind in that moment...eyes that sparkled and (hopefully?) looked a bit relieved that I was awake, signature pink locks brushing my flushed face and her nose was scrunched a bit as she giggled. This was the source of the beautiful scent and the angelic voice, the new girl who had a sarcastic streak and seemed to care about me for no reason at all.

"Feeling a bit better?" she whispered, pressing her lips to my cheek to give me what she thought was probably a chaste little kiss. Little did she know that was all I needed to lean back and sleep peacefully.

Well at least I died happy.

* * *

**Well I'd rather start off slow  
This whole thing's like  
some sort of race–  
**

"I can't..." I murmured, running my sweaty fingers over the polished numbers...208... "What would I _say_?"

Naruto yawned, turned and stepped through the doorway. "You could thank her for carrying your sorry ass back to your room when her first impression of you was probably not what you'd hope."

"That really didn't help," I snapped, slamming my forehead into the heavy wood without realizing how much of a sound it must have made. While it was early, I had gathered information from the past two weeks about her. She was trying zero hour for her first semester in hopes to make up for a credit she lost last year in Algebra II, and she was not an early riser. I imagined her cute little nose wrinkling in disgust and reaching for the alarm clock, that she would slam on the carpet in hopes of it breaking. She would stumble down the carpeted hallway in tight sweat pants and have a medium caramel cappuccino; cold things woke her up faster than regular coffee, and that would have to last through her zero hour elective and she threw it out every day she walked into AP Chemistry with Ino, Shikamaru and Hinata.

And then I started paying attention.

And you wouldn't believe how much I learned...

The doorknob began to turn and I moved with much more stealth and speed than I had expected of myself–

I heard her step out and shut the door behind her; carefully I rose my eye to the keyhole and saw her, locking the door behind her quietly as not to wake her roommate, wearing what seemed to be her favorite tight green sweat pants. Why did she have to wear them _today_, the day I was going to attempt to–

Her gaze fell on the tiny beam of light that was across the embroidered carpet from my slightly open door; whirling around I slammed my back against it and shut it with a loud click. Heart pounding, I watched her from the keyhole again; she raised an eyebrow, hitched her purse higher on her shoulder, yawned, and began to walk down the hallway in the black flip-flops that she wore. She said black went with everything, and she would wear them until her toes froze in winter.

**  
Instead of winning what I want,  
I'm sitting here in second place**.

"FUCK!" I cried out as a sneaker hit me in the face; rubbing my cheek I saw Naruto shaking his head at me.

"For future reference...her name is Sakura Haruno."

Sakura Haruno. What a beautiful name.

So I decided today I would be her partner in Chemistry, since today was the day she officially started class; the lucky girl had gotten two weeks' respite and _someone _had to do it. Sometimes I hate myself for being so emotionally retarded.

Then maybe I could actually say my first words to her.

* * *

_So just read and review and...whatnot...just had to get the prologue up because if I didn't it would bother me. :P Tell me if I should continue or not._


	2. Ch 1: Long Awaited Deviance

_Well...I actually made another chapter. --dramatic gasp--. Would've been up sooner but I had to finish Killing Pretty Ribbons first, and I am done with that too. Work, work work, lol. I didn't expect such a response..._

_Just two things:_

_Dysfunctionality rules. There's a lot of it in here._

_And the lyrics are "Waiting" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus._

* * *

Chapter 1: Long-Awaited Deviance 

_And it hit me like a slap in the face._

"Her room is 2–0–8?" Sasuke repeated, slinging his bag over his shoulder; his movements were awkward and he was trying, with much difficulty, to seem offhand. It was in his face...there was no mistaking it.

"No, it's 74-H," Naruto replied sarcastically, picking up random textbooks from his bed and shoving them haphazardly into his bag; he was frequently late to first hour from oversleeping. "I told you this..."

"But..." Sasuke trailed off and leaned against the heavy wooden door...he was slightly nervous on this Monday morning, the first day of her classes, which conveniently nearly mirrored Ino's schedule, which in essence was his. "That's the door _across the hall_."

Naruto paused from his book search and stared at Sasuke as though he had just fallen through the ceiling. "Yes, I know. What is your _problem_? You've never had this problem before, I mean, normally you just stroll through those doors like you don't give a damn about what happens. You get along pretty well with most people, girls too."

Pouting a bit, Sasuke rolled his eyes characteristically and sighed dramatically, letting his dark locks fall over equally dark eyes. Most girls didn't meet him for the first time when dragging him back to his room because he was embarrassingly wasted, no girls that were genuine and weren't complete whores, anyway. Not only was that completely unromantic, there was no possible way to speak to her without either coming off as an asshole or having a full-scale emotional attack and end up staring out the window for the entire period.

"But she_ sleeps _in that room!"

Naruto pulled out his Chemistry book and threw it at Sasuke; he smirked as he deftly avoided it, but the hovering panic made it's way back onto his face as Naruto stomped over a pile of clothes and scooped it off the ground.

"Your point?" Naruto demanded, frowning at his backpack stuffed with 5 pound textbooks; pulling one out, he looked at the cover and made a face. "Sociology sucks."

Sasuke shrugged. "I like it. It doesn't have any form of math."

"Awe, math's easy, just like Chem," Naruto said, tossing the sociology book onto Sasuke's bed and shutting his bag; grabbing his soda off the nightstand, he chugged it and dropped the can into the garbage. "We're gonna be late," he said, and just as the words left his mouth an ominous bell chimed, echoing within the corridors.

"Shit!" Sasuke snapped and took off down the hallway, leaving Naruto to continue on at a somewhat leisurely jog down the carpet; Sasuke was at the stairs and hung back for Naruto, but after jogging in place for a couple minutes he gave up and slid down the wide banisters, bound for Chemistry.

He loved to run. Track, specifically.

Putting his hands behind his head, Sasuke slowed to a walk and surveyed the deserted tiled hallways; papers and pencils were strewn here and there and the sun, still strong from the end of summer illuminated the area and cast a bright glow that shone off the floor. Muffled sounds from the underclassman English wing murmured in his ears as he wondered vaguely where his friend was; the slightly labored breathing of the blonde drowned out the underlying sound and Naruto gave him a reproachful look as he slugged Sasuke in the arm.

"Way to wait, Mr. Track Star," Naruto chided; Sasuke chuckled at the sound of his breathing; Naruto only participated in track to stay away from the withered hypocrites that ran weight room in normal P.E.; Shikamaru refused to do football for the same reasons Sasuke didn't participate, and he could outrun anybody he pleased...if he felt the need. The coaches nearly begged the slack off to do track each year, and Sasuke consistently convinced him to do it. Ino could not run and probably would never, and instead set her sights on basketball. While many had expected a natural blonde, perky girl of her status to join cheerleading or dance, she had loudly and obnoxiously proclaimed her opinion of these girls in the middle of the lunch room to much applause.

It's not that she hated them. She used to be one of them.

Sasuke preferred long distance running to any other aspect of track. While idolized and raved about for those abilities, he did it for himself and when he did lose, the spitting and screaming of the coaches made him laugh. It was a hit and miss for them, for he had days where he cared and days where he did not.

"Wait!"

Naruto paused with his hand on the door handle and rolled his eyes at Sasuke.

"What now?"

"Erm..."

"Don't tell me you're afraid to walk in there. You're going to have to talk to her eventually...she's pretty much implanted in our group of friends."

Sasuke did not answer, realizing he had no logical reasoning and no way out.

"Alright, let's–OW!"

Sasuke flinched as the ruler smacked him upside the skull too, and the hand retreated back through the doorway; angrily towering (which was a task, considering the little man was only 5' 3") in intimidation was their Chemistry teacher of over 30 years, Mr. Hyde.

"So glad you decided to show, Uzumaki, and you too, Uchiha," he wheezed in his high-pitched voice, sticking the ruler in his white lab coat and rolling his eyes; this was very typical of every year; the little man of discovery and science was the most no-nonsense man you would ever meet, and never spoke English, only Chemistry. Sasuke wished he did not have to take this class, but a recent rule had made it mandatory to have three years of a science, so here he was, doomed to Room 101 for this year. Older students had said it was the roughest course of science, and to top it off, he was in AP. Whatever teacher had decided to put him in AP courses, he did not know, because he really did not enjoy them.

Naruto shrugged off the beating and strolled in; nods were exchanged here and there to acquaintances and Ino sat up on her stool and waved obnoxiously; in the back corner she sat with Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten, and the new girl, Sakura, who was chatting animatedly with Tenten. She seemed to make friends easily. Naruto headed straight for the back and Sasuke began to follow, occasionally nodding to people as he did...

And Sakura stopped talking and looked at him, smiling every so slightly, and he knew she remembered him. But then her face looked horrified and he panicked, wondering what she thought of him–

**SMACK!**

Sasuke watched the beautiful girl cringe in sympathy and he rubbed the back of his head, huffing as he looked down at his white-haired professor, who folded his arms and stared up expectantly. When Sasuke continued to stare blankly back, he sighed in annoyance with the younger generation and pointed to his mouth, and the dark-haired teen realized he had been chewing gum, spearmint to be precise. Glancing at the large poster that stated "ABSOLUTELY NO FOOD, DRINK, CANDY OR GUM!", he bent his tall frame gracefully to spit it out, and when he straightened, Sakura was still looking at him with a sly grin. Raising an eyebrow, he watched as she poked the end of her gum out from between her full lips; it was the same flavor, and he forced himself to grin.

"You can sit now, Uchiha," Mr. Hyde snapped, and pointed to the back. Sasuke obeyed, muttering occasional greetings to people, and took his seat next to Naruto; the pink-haired girl sat at the table next to them, with Ino on the very end chatting across the aisle to Shikamaru.

"Before we were so rudely interrupted, I was discussing how many of you are probably utterly shocked to find yourselves in AP Chemistry. I am also sure you are thinking that you cannot do it."

"Here we go," Naruto muttered, and everybody in the vicinity looked at him. "Another speech about how we work to our potential and reach for the stars and all that great stuff."

Sasuke chuckled in agreement and Sakura simply smiled at the comment.

"Well, I am happy to inform you that nearly half of you will probably drop out!" His squeaky voice rang in the large room, yet it carried a strong tone to it that forced the teenagers to listen against their will. Sakura grimaced at the sudden statement and Sasuke leaned on his elbow to better watch her facial expressions as the professor continued to speak.

"Yes, drop out. I know very well that most of you are not cut out for this, and hell, I do not expect many of you to stay. Once your grade is below a C, you are out and good riddance to you. Why your parents even pay for you all to be here, I will never know."

He continued to berate society and it's moralistic decline for another twenty minutes; in this time the attention began to wander. Sakura was still listening and creating some of the cutest expressions as she did; eventually she raised her pink eyebrows so much they seemed to disappear underneath her hair, and she too leaned on her elbow and fixed her gaze on Sasuke.

Sasuke jumped when he realized her staring at him and straightened up, elbows on the desk and chin resting on his interlocked fingers, struggling to at least pretend to listen as not to look at her. Naruto was ripping pieces of paper and throwing them into the brunette hair of the girl in front of him, trying to get her to turn around. Eventually she did and her soft brown eyes caught Sasuke; she waved at him shyly, but he rolled his eyes and he pointed at the blonde next to him, who grinned. Deciding he was good enough, she turned completely around in her stool and chatted with him, but her eyes still glanced at Sasuke occasionally, who really could care less. He didn't really like brunettes, and the leaves falling off the tree outside caught his attention just as well.

"And so I'll ask you this...what is the chemical name for sugar, Uzumaki?" Mr. Hyde asked loudly; the girl immediately turned to face the front and Naruto shrugged.

"I don't know."

"How about you try?"

"But I have no idea."

"Does anyone have an idea?" the professor asked the large room, leisurely pacing in front of his desk. "Anybody at all?"

After another moment, the professor snapped, "The next person I question had better have an answer."

"Oh my god," Sakura muttered in annoyance, and she made a face as she raised her hand. The old man's eyes lit up as he saw her arm in the air.

"Yes...erm..." He checked his roster quickly. "Haruno?"

"C six H twelve O six," she recited, putting her hand back on the table, a strange frown on her face that was confusing the people around her.

"And the elements involved?"

"Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, respectively," she said, still with the expression as though she would rather go to hell and back. Perhaps the professor noticed this, for he watched her for a moment and then asked:

"Something bothering you, Miss Haruno?"

"Well, yes. Now everybody is going to expect me to answer _every_ question, and I would rather not be the teacher's pet. Because somewhere along the line, some pigheaded male that chokes on his ego every day for every meal is going to think I'm easy, and all the girls that hate me for existing are going to give me the deadly bitch glare because I'm intelligent enough to pass a class and get attention from guys without acting as though I possessed half a brain. All because I was the only one who knew about sugar."

A long silence followed, and she smirked and cleared her throat a bit. Sasuke's head whirled so fast his neck cracked loudly and he stared at her. Then the entire back of the room burst out laughing, and the professor could only stare.

"Sir," she added hastily, inclining her head in sarcastic respect.

Mr. Hyde sighed and leaned on his desk; he could smack them with rulers, he could scream, but when it came right down to it, there was no authority for kicking them out of the school or he would have one hell of a lawsuit to deal with. The most he could do would be to kick them out of his class. But he did not seem offended; instead, he shook his head and turned to the board and copied her answer down in small, cramped handwriting that no one could read.

"What are the three coinage metals, can you tell me that without fear of a glare? Really now, no one look at her," he joked.

"Gold, Silver, Copper," she recited, chewing her gum in a way that asked him to say something, but he did not. Sasuke seemed impressed; he could give them all the dirty looks he wanted, but he would not dare joke around with a professor that way. And Mr. Hyde seemed almost amused.

She was amazing. He leaned back on his elbow and continued to stare at her as the professor shot question after question at her and she answered them almost lazily. Sure enough, a few girls were turning around to see her. And for a solid 30 minutes he wasted his life studying her, and a couple times she glanced at him and he would look away until he could survey her again without fear.

He counted twelve expressions, and even more if he added in that she would raise a pink eyebrow, or that one certain muscle in her jaw would twitch, perhaps in annoyance. Her hair had been cut recently and he wondered how long it had been; perfectly even ends fell over her shoulders and while he didn't know much about hairstyles, it seemed to be tapered diagonally up to frame her round face. The usual expression that graced her beautiful face was her nose slightly scrunched, full lips twisted in a smirk that seemed to hide her personal secret from the rest of the world.

Suddenly she turned to look at him, tilting her head slightly at his presumably dazed expression; his eyes widened and he stared back, a bit nervous.

_Why is she staring at me like that? What's wrong with me? Did someone say something about me? _Paranoia effectively settling in, he sat up a bit and she reached across Naruto, who began to look at him too, and took his arm so gently, with her loving touch like she had when she had been helping him the night before.

And then she said his name, like a calling from heaven.

"Sasuke?"

He was too nervous to answer, and instead stared blankly back at her, wishing he were not such an idiot.

"Sasuke?" she repeated, letting the name roll so perfectly off her tongue...and in that moment he took his other hand and put it on hers, willing himself to say _something_...

And the moment was brutally shattered by his best friend.

"SASUKE!"

"What?" Sasuke snapped angrily, startled to find the entire room staring at him, including the professor, who was at the front of the room talking to...

_Oh...god. Not her._

"Uchiha Sasuke, are you deaf, my boy?" Mr. Hyde asked, tapping his ruler on the desk again out of habit. The towering woman with painted ruby nails clutched the handle of her purse and her eyes found her former patient; with a smile as fake as her hair color she gestured to the door and tried to adopt the motherly persona that her reputation was supposed to portray. Sasuke knew her better than that and wasted no time in informing the other victims to her weekly sessions of her true nature.

"Sasuke, dear," she said in a breathless voice, beckoning with a long finger that he yearned to break in two and feed to vicious dogs, and he had told her this. She had laughed and prescribed him pills. He refused to take them. He just hated her.

Sakura was still staring at him, selfless empathy etched into every line of her face, which was torturously contorted into a sympathetic look...for him. And she did not even know him. Naruto nudged him in the ribs and jerked his head up toward the front, and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "See you later."

"I hope," Sasuke muttered, slinging his bag over his shoulder and nodding to each of his friends in turn before walking around the tables and up the aisle to the hell he would deal with for the next 45 minutes, these weekly sessions that were picked up from last year.

Reaching the front, she put a hand on his shoulder and he jerked away, scowling darkly; she grabbed him by the upper arm painfully and steered him out the door, half carrying him down the tiled hallway. The click of her heels against the floor in rhythmic time made his stomach churn, and when he glanced back in the window of his classroom, Sakura was still staring at the door from which he had exited, chin resting on her fist in deep thought.

* * *

**Void I can't fill...**

"So dear, how was your summer? Anything _fun_ you'd like to share with me?" she asked, resting her elbows upon her paperwork laden desk and flashing the smile of blinding Chiclets. Her front teeth were fake, for she had gotten them replaced for the second time after her husband had punched them out after she informed him that she was bearing another child. Apparently his vasectomy had not taken, which was fairly normal, but that was _her_ fault.

**  
The doctor tells me to relax and stand still...**

"You're such a brainless idiot," he said ruefully, folding his arms and tossing his head to clear his vision of soft ebony locks. "Why the hell do you stay with him?"

And then his gaze found her new ring.

"Ah," Sasuke mused, as if he were the counselor and she were the victim. "He tossed you a new rock and a new pathetic line, huh? Can't say I'm happy for you."

She was silent, a vein throbbing in her temple, but she took a deep breath and her smile seemed to harden where it was. "So how was your summer?"

"Like I'd confide that to you," he snorted, grabbing a piece of his coveted spearmint gum from his pocket. Unwrapping it and chewing it, he continued. "Do I have to spend the whole year discussing your life again? There are a host of things I'd rather be doing."

"I think these sessions are _good _for you," she pressed, standing up from behind her desk and beginning to pace with her hands behind her back. "I think we learn a lot about ourselves when we _really_ step back and take a good look."

"That's what I do every day...I'm an introvert and a self pain-inflicting boy, remember?" he asked, referring to last year's end of semester mental report. His counselor looked as though she had suddenly been overcome by lockjaw. He rolled his eyes and put his feet up on her desk.

"I can see that bruise you attempted to cover with expensive makeup on your neck. Was that when you didn't make him his sandwich fast enough, or was that supposed to be affectionate?"

She slammed her fist on the desk and an ashtray fell to the floor, littering the light colored carpet with gray cigarette ash.

"Why do you do this to me, Sasuke?" she asked, her smile now gone and replaced with her true expressions; her tired, strained, worn face.

"Because you're so fake. Fake and constantly lying to yourself. Wrapped up in stereotypes that you don't believe deep down, but you do it anyway. Just because I'd rather be outside watching the leaves than tossing a football around and getting my spine snapped by people twice my size, you act like I'm always hiding."

"Because you are hiding," she replied. "You have the looks, the brains, the potential to do so much more. Why don't you use it?"

"I don't want to be that way. And really, do you blame me for hiding? The man who murdered my parents was never _caught_, you know. It isn't wise to stick my neck out and act like I don't care and that I'm invincible."

"You're afraid," she said quietly.

While he knew this was true, he did not admit it. He hated this woman for all she had done to him. In her mind it was help, and in his it was nothing but hell, over and over again.

Abruptly his mind drifted to Sakura...and the sad look she had given him when he was leaving, as if she would gladly devote anything she could to make his life okay. He would do the same for her, anything for her...that saddened expression only made him yearn to make that beautiful girl smile.

Love at first sight.

Was such bullshit.

While the logical side of his brain tried to reason with his heart, it was met with only steadfast resistance.

**  
Prescribes me a new pill to quell my anger...  
Wish I could make her pull_ herself_ up off the floor**

"Are you alright, Sasuke?"

"Yeah, fine," he snapped, angry at himself, and he scooped the ashtray off the floor and held in tightly in his hand. "Just spacing out again, walking in my own pathetic mind, wondering how deep I should cut tonight."

"That's not funny," his counselor said, shaking her head, eyeing the object in his hand warily. "Not at all."

"Yeah, you know what else isn't funny? The fact that you're _dumb_ enough to go back to someone who beat your pride and your opinions down to the dust for how many years. The same asshole that left you with children and then took them and went to live with some hooker from Las Vegas, and then you let him come back to you and he gives you a pretty cut of jewelry and all is fine and well. Too bad when you sleep at night, you regret your life so much and you pray to _God_ he doesn't wake up and find the window open a crack, because if anything bothers him you know you pay for it."

There was a long silence in which he threw the ashtray to the ground, furious at the things that came out of his mouth in anger and knowing he would pay for this one. The fake woman sat heavily at her desk and took out a pen and wrote a long prescription for him; he could read the dosage in the pink box as he had so many times. She ripped it off her pad and handed it to him.

"You may go."

Slinging his back over his shoulder once more, he let the chair tip over onto the carpet and left it there, ripping the pink slip as he went, leaving pieces to flutter on the ground. He slammed the door shut.

**Waiting...**

**for this life to change**

**seems like it's taking me forever  
and I can't hold on...**

* * *

For the rest of the day Sasuke ignored much of what went on around him; mostly the same group of people were in his classes, lunch too, in which he sat with them and listened to absolutely nothing important. Sakura had been there, and she had participated greatly, including making plans with them to go out that night that Sasuke was automatically included in because he was friends with all of them. He probably would go and brood and disguise his boredom by making small talk with Ino and Tenten and Neji. She was fitting right in, and thank goodness...he would feel terrible if she was having a hard time.

In their free study period, which was at the end of the day, he sat in boredom as did many of the others, considering there was no homework and therefore nothing to do. But one rule stood; they had to be silent. Most girls were in their purses texting, while Naruto and Gaara were writing to each other on a notebook that they hid when the professors came lurking up and down the aisles. Ino and Shikamaru were struggling to be quiet as the boy tickled her thighs beneath the table, while Sakura sat watching them, laughing occasionally. Eventually Neji got up from his seat and sat on the table, staring down at her intensely, and she smiled as they struck up a conversation.

"HYUGA!" a professor yelled, predictably catching the attention of everyone in the hall; Neji looked over his shoulder at the squat man and grinned.

"Just asking a quick question, sir," he said smoothly, pulling a pen out of his pocket and writing something on a scrap of paper for her.

"It's the first day back," the man said, disbelievingly.

"Yeah well, it's Chemistry, and that's certainly not my strong point," Neji said, grinning at the girl; she giggled and Sasuke felt a tiny ripple of an emotion that he had never truly felt...jealousy. Now half the room was grinning, for most of them had been in that class first hour, and Sakura quietly thanked Neji; Neji walked past Sasuke's chair and clapped him on the shoulder, bending down to whisper, "How was your session?"

"The usual."

Neji chuckled at his fellow track friend and made his way, mockingly slowly in the eye of the professor, back to his seat. Sakura was smiling at the piece of paper he had given her, and Sasuke scowled and turned away, choosing to pout about it as he stared into nothing, while Sakura looked from the writing to him.

Expression number one, her soft, secretive, sly smile, held it's place for the rest of the class as she watched him think and he thought about her.

* * *

"Are you coming or what?" Naruto asked, grabbing his jacket from the floor, shaking it, and throwing it over his shoulders; Sasuke was standing at the window, looking out at the crisp fall weather and the people walking aimlessly around campus.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna run...might as well get back into practice," Sasuke said, stretching his tall frame to the ceiling and looking at his friend over his shoulder. Naruto shrugged.

"That's fine, man, maybe you can come later–wait a minute," he said, pausing with his hand on the doorknob and seeming a bit annoyed. "Sakura's coming and you're afraid to go, right?" he asked, knowing he was right. Sasuke turned on his heel and stalked into the bathroom.

"Yeah, I'm right. Have you even _talked to her _yet?" the blonde demanded, sticking his head into the bathroom; Sasuke slammed the door shut in his face.

"And that's a 'no'," Naruto said, crossing the room and getting ready to leave. Sasuke stared at himself in the mirror, waiting for his friend to shut the door before leaving the bathroom and brooding at the window some more.

Yes, he had not spoken to her all day, had not even thanked her like he had woken up telling himself to do. Pathetic. But still...how stupid would it be to say, "Hey, thanks for dragging my drunk ass back to my room?". She would peg him as a typical party-crazy jock with an ego to choke on and probably go date Neji. Whatever. That would not bother him, because he was not jealous.

_Okay, I'm really jealous. But why should I be? Neji's not a bad guy, one of my close friends in fact, just because I'm insecure–_

_I'm not insecure!_

_Of course you're not. You're in love with someone you've never spoken to._

Hating himself, he grabbed his own jacket and stalked angrily across the messy floor, but paused with his hand on the knob as he heard Shikamaru yelling on his phone:

"Well I'll wait downstairs, then! It shouldn't take an hour to get ready to go out!" he snapped, presumably speaking to his girlfriend. "Laundry? Oh...fine..." He sounded a bit humbled and guilty for yelling, then sighed. "Yes, I love you too," he said quietly, as though afraid to be overheard. He had always been that type to act very tough around his friends, even though his sensitive side was what had attracted Ino to him in the first place. His footsteps receded toward the elevator; he was very lazy.

From the opposite direction came footsteps and laughter, and he immediately knew the cute giggle of Sakura; he put his eye to the keyhole.

Ino and Sakura were walking up the hallway, each with a towering basket of laundry that tottered dangerously with clothes of many colors.

"He always gets so angry when I do so much laundry, and then spend so much time in the bathroom. Watch, right now he's telling Naruto how annoying I am...he's done that for years."

"How long have you lived next door to him?" Sakura asked. Sasuke couldn't help smiling at the very sound of her curious voice.

"I pretty much grew up with him...our parents were like _this_," Ino said, crossing her fingers for emphasis. "That's how all of our parents are, Naruto's, Neji's, Tenten's," she continued, unlocking the door and kicking it open with her foot. "You're the first new person to come around for a while, and naturally for the next weeks you're going to be bombarded with questions."

Sakura laughed and Sasuke watched her do so, leaning his arm against the door so he could put his eye even closer to the hole. Ino carried her basket through and Sakura followed, turning sideways to fit through the doorway. The door shut and their laughs were heard from behind it; so they were not leaving right away.

Sasuke caught sight of something on the floor and nearly had a heart attack.

Something black...small and black, like socks? No, not socks...

_What if it's...her bra? _He thought, turning a bit pink at the mere mention...

No, it was the thing that would bother him the very most.

A thong.

Sasuke slammed his forehead into the door; of fucking course. But she would...she _had_ to come back for it any minute now, she'd certainly notice.But his heartbeat sped up as he continued to stare at the little black object on the floor that usually touched her bare skin...and it was apparent after 2 minutes of staring at the clock on the wall in hopes of ignoring it that she was not coming out to get it.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and leaned his back against the door casually, grinning nervously. "No big deal. I'm no pervert, I can handle this, just walk past it, no big deal."

He went about a minute before looking out the keyhole, and it was still there, ruthlessly mocking him.

Opening the door a crack, he looked around nervously, literally jumped through the doorway, scooped it off the ground and slammed the door shut. On cue, Sakura came out and frowned as she looked up and down the hallway, while Sasuke was already safe behind his wooden door. The pink-haired girl huffed in annoyance and walked back into her room, talking to Ino.

"I _swear_ I had washed it..."

* * *

Eh, not bad. I love Sasuke in here, actually...I can't make all of them jocks, but he had to do SOME sport, and I love track. So there. 


	3. Ch 2: Mister Insecurity

Omigod...it lives!

It's been months and I seriously still hate AU's... ah well. I have too many ideas and I like Sasuke being a shy insecure stalker with an anger problem.

Read and Review. Lurve.

* * *

Chapter 2: Mister Insecurity

"You're kidding?" Eyes widening considerably, shining with devilish anticipation and indicating his troublesome nature, cerulean orbs surveyed Sasuke expectantly. Sprawled out comfortably across his sheets free of any and all blankets (to say he was a messy sleeper was the understatement of the century!), he let his blonde head hang off the foot of the bed as he watched his companion fidget uncomfortably under his stare. Glowering angrily, Sasuke leaned back on his arms and turned his gaze to the window.

Slight fog obscured the once unmarred view of the campus where the students milled about, some hurrying to class, some with no destination in mind. Winding paths traveled many times snaked through the slowly dying grass of approaching autumn, and he could even spot a runner or two. That was where he should have been, not here, trying in vain to explain the seriousness of the situation to a boy whom was more concerned about when Sasuke was getting laid or at least going to a club or two. Or even _speaking_ to the girl.

"Now you_ have_ to talk to her!" Naruto said, staring at the ceiling for a moment, crossing his eyes for his own amusement. He couldn't disguise the grin covering his entire face, effectively contradicting the half worried, half angry gaze on Sasuke's handsome features.

"I don't know if I could even_ look_ at her at this point!" he retorted angrily, huffing and rubbing his temple with the base of his thumb.

"There's plenty to look at," Naruto remarked casually. His dark–haired friend snatched a nearby textbook and flung it, but missed by inches. "Possessive bastard."

"I'm not possessive."

"Not yet. Come on, she could be _yours_, and now you really have a reason to strike up conversation, and considering you chickened out–"

"I didn't–"

"What do _you_ call hiding in the bathroom?"

Not having a sufficient retort, Sasuke remained silent.

"You know why we came back so early?"

Sasuke turned his head to glance at his bedside table; the clock read 5:23 in luminous letters; the last class of the day had been a few hours ago. He had yet to go for his much–desired run and the incident had driven it out of his mind as he had sat and overanalyzed every possible scenario that could have been conjured. Mind racing at millions of miles a minute, he left himself mentally exhausted. Some called it obsessive compulsive and others labeled it crazy, but the truth was it was his personality, and there was no way to fix it.

So he thought.

"We're not allowed off campus yet, isn't that bullshit? So we just took Sakura around the school, but it's funny...she seemed sort of sad, you know, when we were out, and so I made Ino ask her what her problem was, but she didn't get anything out of her."

Sasuke's brows furrowed, but he did not turn his head.

"So after showing her around the school, we brought her back because she said she was going to work out," Naruto continued, trying to hide the fact that the corners of his mouth were vying for a teasing grin. "She's athletic too. If you go run, you just might find her."

Sasuke glanced at his best friend, whom was currently raising his eyebrows in an extremely suggestive manner that made him wonder, vaguely, if sex was the only thing on Naruto's mind. Deciding to think more on the matter later, he tore his gaze away from the window and the milling ants on campus and dropped to his knees, shoving things aside as he searched under his bed for his bag.

"About _time_ you started going after something!" Naruto exclaimed, sitting up; his face was flushed from letting his head hang upside down.

Sasuke peered over the bed and raised an eyebrow, hands still searching through the mess for his things. "I'm going for a run, that's all. And she's a person, not a thing."

Naruto let out an annoyed sigh and muttered something about him being a nitpicky bastard, then scooped up something from the floor and threw it at his companion; reflexes caught the little black object and the runner's scowl became more pronounced as he shoved it in his pocket. "Where the hell–?"

"You left it on your bed. If you see her, make sure to give it back to her," Naruto said, barely suppressing a laugh.

"Why did _you _have it?" Sasuke demanded angrily, letting his bag fall to the floor, holding onto the strap. Naruto replied with a hearty laugh and grinned.

"_So_ easy to get jealous," he jibed, continuing to laugh until it was clear Sasuke's anger wasn't dissipating. It never did. Faltering in his storm of laughter, Naruto cleared his throat, seeming slightly abashed.

"Whatever. Don't want to know," Sasuke stated flatly, hitching his bag back onto his shoulder before turning away. Crossing swiftly to the door, he ran his fingers through his hair and ignored Naruto's strangely wide grin flashing at him, and closed the door a little harder than necessary behind him.

Flickering lights in twisted, iron chandeliers cast shadows on the walls of the deserted corridor where he stood, enjoying the silence if only for a blissful moment. Despite the fact it was not dark outside nor inside, they were turned on quite early in the quickly ascending autumn season. His footsteps were silent as he made his way down the hallway across the plush carpet, passing the overused elevator that was always running for some complaining, physically inactive annoyance, and looked carefully around before sliding down the banisters. He was one to take the stairs, not use a shortcut, but he usually only did that to show off a bit.

Opening the heavy door, his feet hit the tile with a scuff that was drowned in the comings and goings of other students. Where the living aspect of this private school was backhanded across the face like a slap in a hardcore chickfight, reminding them that there _was_ such a thing as education, and it was very close to home. Some were loitering, some were studying. Being on-campus was such a pain.

The gyms and locker rooms, of course, were located quite far from the dormitories, and _of course _Sasuke wasn't too fond of crowds people chattering about nonsensical things. Ignoring the overwhelming din of small talk, he made his way through the hallways, nodding occasionally to acquaintances here and there while thoroughly ignoring many of the girls. Most of them couldn't talk to him without giggling or using unnecessary physical contact that tested his extremely short temper.

As one girl had been told, just because she was female didn't mean he wouldn't put her tiny self crashing through the drywall if she kept hanging on him.

Thus, not too many girls were foolish enough to test him, but that sure didn't stop the occasional notes in his locker (or pushed under the door to his room), the groups that whispered and giggled every time he walked past, nudging one member forward to get her to talk. He never cared, and they wanted nothing more than a tall, dark, and handsome stranger on their arm. He'd never admit how much it hurt to be treated like a trophy rather than a person with some feelings, and he'd _never_ admit that not a single girl understood him. His close friends did; Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and a few others.

He managed to get along with everybody, despite all this. Making waves was a pointless thing. He'd done it before but tried not to do it as often as he felt the impulse.

Rows of blue lockers stretched to the very back of the room, and Sasuke could tell that he was the only one present as the door shut with an echoing sound. No coaches were in their offices and yet the air was thick with a distinct, masculine scent, indicating there had already been people there.

At the end of a row he enjoyed the silence as he changed; pulling his shirt off over his head he closed his eyes and listened to the distant hum of others in afternoon classes. Of the pounding bass rhythm of a stereo. Of–

The door opened and shut quickly, as though someone had slipped in, probably intimidated by the silence and hoping not to disturb it. Their footsteps seemed light and whomever it was made their way up and down the rows, stopping at intervals, but Sasuke didn't realize it was a female until he saw the jade eyes look into the mirror, and then at him.

"Omigod!" she exclaimed, clearly startled as he jumped back, put a hand against the locker to steady himself, feeling his face flush. "I'm so sorry! See, I was told to put more towels in here, just for a quick favor, and I didn't think...anyone would be in here–"

She broke off, seeming genuinely sorry, and dropped the last of the towels by the sink and covered her mouth. Throat suddenly dry, the boy didn't speak, just nodded mutely with wide eyes and unconsciously shifted to cover his bare chest by holding his shirt in front of it.

If the atmosphere had been thick before, it was nothing in comparison to the tension now. She stared at him intensely, something that he was not used to from another girl, or many other people, for that matter. And of all the damn things...her eyes roamed his body as if trying to keep a perfect picture while Sasuke's heartbeat hovered on one frantic note, willing himself not to flush even though his will didn't listen. Very deliberately, her jade eyes hovered on his chiseled chest for a tense moment before she rose to meet his gaze.

His face remained red as a beacon as she asked, "Track, am I right?"

Nod. Response.

Giggle. She found it cute.

Sakura smiled and slowly lowered her hand as her eyes looked him up and down. An eyebrow quirked in amusement.

"You certainly don't have anything to hide," she commented casually, walking up to him slowly and looking up at him. Towering about six inches taller, yet now being reduced to a child shocked out of his mind as he leaned, the bare, heated skin of his back hitting the cold blue lockers. Demurely looking up at him and seeming to close the gap as his heart threw itself against his ribs. He was so sure she could hear it, so out of control as the corners of her mouth turned up slightly in a small smile.

How was it that the new girl, Sakura Haruno, had the object of every girl's affections grades seven and above, Sasuke Uchiha, backed against the lockers in a cold sweat?

He didn't really know, and found himself staring down at well–defined legs, refined from at least a few years of running. If Naruto had been there, he would have been saying to take that girl against the lockers.

As if the romantically retarded boy could have managed _that_ bold action.

Soft, light fingers were now resting on his chest and while the touch was unexpected it was welcomed; at the very least, he had no impulses to punch her. Soothing, somehow, and she let them trail delicately down his skin, lower–

Cherry lips parted slightly, she hooked her long pinky nail on the hem of his shorts and tried not to giggle as his entire body jerked under her touch. He let out a low, slow and shuddering breath as a warm wave of pleasure swept him–

She let go, her hand retreating to her side as her expression became a bit passive. As though she were completely oblivious to her mannerisms that had, a second before, been driving the boy insane.

Still burning under her touch, he did not say a word as she stepped back from him and turned away, footsteps sounding against the floor with a bit more confidence as she slipped out of the door as quietly as she had come.

Sitting heavily on the cold bench, Sasuke realized two things.

He still hadn't spoken to her.

And the locker room showers had _never_ looked so inviting.

* * *

He could spot her a mile away, with that vibrant hair of hers. The familiar gait of his track coach was obvious from a distance as well, and the fact that they were laughing together tugged on his curiosity. Trying to assume his laid–back pace and demeanor, his feet carried him towards the fairly large group of runners; the new ones were shifting nervously in intimidation in the presence of some veteran stars. A few girls stood detached from the throng with their arms folded tightly and ears open as they surveyed Sakura with reservation, not willing to form an opinion on the newcomer just yet.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" His coach said with gusto, his weathered face lighting up with a grizzled grin. "Glad you're returning."

"As if he wouldn't?" Neji stated airily, clapping Sasuke on the shoulder as they exchanged a smirk all their own. Pretentious and superior in more ways than one, the two long–time runners surveyed the underclassman, most of whom did not chance to speak.

"Scared shitless, aren't they?" another guy muttered, looking at the freshman with a devilish grin.

Sakura's eyes were upon Sasuke again, and the rest of the ravenous females didn't miss a beat. No fewer than eight or nine glares were shot in her direction, which she effectively ignored as she let her weight rest on her hip and continued to watch him. The coach went off on a dramatic and grandiose rant, complete with hand waving and somewhere in between, the introductions of the freshman that didn't acknowledge their names, trying to seem cool towards the situation.

"You're another one that's run a while, hm?" The coach asked with a furrowed brow, already picturing his team reaching State Finals that year in the spring. Sakura nodded earnestly.

"Yes, sir," she said, keeping her tone light as to appear modest about her accomplishments. She didn't need a reason to provoke the wrath of angry females in competitions of any sort, though that seemed inevitable as they continued to eye her, ready to jump her for any excuse. Sasuke was slightly irked and afraid; she seemed so meek and...innocent...even though just minute earlier she'd had him against a locker.

_What. The. Hell?_

There was certainly more to her than met his sharp eye.

"Sasuke, here, is our finest runner," The coach stated with an obvious air of pride. Sakura glanced over her shoulder at the other girls, then locked her eyes on his.

Freeze.

"Oh...my..._god_ she is not!"

"She is."

"She. Is. Not."

"Bitch."

Whispered threats exploded in the tense atmosphere that while not phasing the rest of the group, awakened Sakura to their looming presence. In a second she understood. They regarded the _great _Sasuke Uchiha as a prize to be one and held like the first place trophy of the social world.

Sakura's gaze softened. _Poor guy. _She almost felt bad for teasing him like she had in the locker room.

"Hey." Her quiet voice cut across their seething descriptions of what they wanted to do to her, the little slut, the new 'whore', whatever other name they wanted to label her with for no reason. Turning to the coach, she asked in a sincere, genuine voice, "Would it be all right if Sasuke shows me around the fields a bit? I mean, I've never gotten the chance to see how much this school has to offer." Voice positively dripping with a complimentary tone, she added, "And surely, such a _great track team _has _much_ to offer."

So...was Sasuke the only one who caught the double–standard? Neji must have too, as he elbowed Uchiha with a smirk and jerked his head to urge him forward, since the smile on the coach's face was clear. She'd won him over easily.

"Of course, Miss Haruno," he allowed quite graciously, and nodded to Sasuke, who seemed to move unnaturally and mechanically forward. Before he'd considered anything else, she took him by the forearm and pulled him along, past the group of girls, the coach, and a few other guys that had turned their heads as she went past.

As they headed toward the lavish grounds, dusted by autumn leaves, a girl with chocolate brown eyes came hurrying up to Neji, seeming simply ecstatic about something.

"NEJI!" she exclaimed, running up to him and smiling impishly into his white eyes. "I just got out of volleyball practice and guess who–hey! Isn't that Sakura?" Neji sighed as she stared after the couple making their way across the campus, effectively changing subjects at the speed of light, so usual for her. "And she's with...Uchiha?"

This particular couple was well–known for keeping their relationship status under wraps. Every week the rumors flourished and spread but were never confirmed, and Tenten had a smile on her face that made her eyes light up. Wrapping her arms around gently around one of his, she gazed intently after the retreating figures of a long time friend and one newly acquired. "I've never seen him so...comfortable with another girl like that."

Eyes locking on each other's, they shared a genuine smile in hopes of something good happening for Uchiha.

Goodness knows...he needed it.

* * *

"_You're never gonna catch up!" he yelled, half mockingly, half playfully to his younger brother. Both donning dark locks and equally onyx eyes, they stumbled through the snowdrifts, abundant in the sloping grounds that stretched much further than they had ever traveled. Not meant to be explored, the blanket of white blissfully untouched for acres and acres._

_The older boy glanced over his shoulder at his younger sibling, sighing in typical annoyance as Sasuke sunk through the snowdrift well past his waist. Arms flailing in his oversized coat, he began to complain to his brother as he struggled to pull himself out, but the latter had no intention of aiding him until the little boy slipped in further and yelled even louder._

"_Were you gonna leave me in there?" he asked, scowling cutely as his brother lifted him under the arms and set him on the ground roughly. The older boy rolled his eyes and folded his arms, seemingly unnaturally angry without a cause. It was happening more and more often, because he knew what Sasuke didn't. _

_He knew the truth._

"_You're such a goddamn pain," he snapped, towering over his sibling with folded arms while his words had a distinct familiarity in them that shook little Sasuke to the core. Twisting his lips as not to let them tremble, he closed his eyes for a moment and tried to clear his head of the words. _

_Just like their father._

"_Well...mom doesn't think I'm a pain," he retorted arrogantly, folding his arms and mimicking his companion's actions...his attempt at intimidation, or at the very least, respect, failed dismally. "Mom always says she loves me–"_

_His brother cut across his words with a sharp laugh; again, just like their father's. _

_Sasuke hated the sound._

"_You don't get it, do you?" _

"_Get what?" Sasuke demanded, kicking at a small mound of snow with his booted foot. _

"_Mother hasn't been happy since...you were born."_

"_That's not true! She was happy this morning, I ran in and woke her up and she was smiling, just like always!"_

"_She's in pain, Sasuke."_

"_No, she's not!" His voice pitched in indignation and childlike fury and misconception._

_His elder sibling turned a fierce, dark eye on him and his words were a slap in the face, minacious as a hiss, cold as the air around them. "You __**are**__ mother's pain."_

"Sasuke?"

The pink–haired girl jogged in place a few feet ahead of him, blinking beads of perspiration from her jade eyes that were now round with concern. Tornadoes of multi–colored leaves swirled around the asphalt track and made the tiniest scraping sounds against it, but her voice was what snapped his mind back to the campus. The crisp autumn air he had been running in. Heart pounding against his ribs from adrenaline and the sudden shock of his memory, he stopped and put his arms behind his head to let more air fill his lungs.

After inhaling and exhaling a few times, she stopped moving and walked slowly to him, looking up at his flushed face. "Are you okay?"

Swallowing, he nodded too quickly to be taken seriously. A breeze swept leaves up from the path and into their faces; he shivered involuntarily.

Sakura giggled as leaves were caught in her pink locks and she took his forearm again, like a guide. "The sun's going down...it's getting cold. Let's go inside."

They walked slowly back to the track in a comfortable silence, arms occasionally hitting each other's , over and over, until she linked hers through his and leaned against him. Despite the chilly air, a flush still managed to overwhelm his neck and face, but she didn't seem to notice.

Through the door and down a hallway, and there she planned to leave him to take the corridor to his own locker room. Untwining her arm from his, she half–turned away and then stopped.

"Hey."

He snapped to attention, appreciating how well her hair framed her round face. Though it had nothing to do with what she was talking about, he still noticed.

"You want to get a coffee, or something?" she asked quietly, eyes shining in earnest. The smile never seemed to leave her face, not for anything. She was smiling at the world, full of cruel events and cruel people. He didn't understand.

And he really didn't understand how she could smile at someone like_ him_.

He nodded curtly and immediately cursed inwardly at how rude he must have seemed, but she looked as though he'd crowned her a queen.

"Okay. Meet me right here then," she ordered, and began to turn away once again only to feel a tight grip on her wrist.

Without warning or words he tugged on her and brought her closer, forcing her to face him and look up in confusion. His free hand trailed from the top of her head, fingers eventually coming into contact with the withered, crumbling leaf that had managed to become stuck in her hair.

He tugged it out gently, letting it fall to the tile.

She took his hand and squeezed it, trying to quell the shaking.

"You're so cold."

_No. I'm nervous as fuck. _

"Hurry back."

_I don't know if I want to leave._

"Coffee will do you some good."

_Whatever you say._

Not one of his thoughts left his lips, however, and he waited until her footsteps had receded, in sight and in sound, before making his way to his own locker room.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they walked into the cafeteria, crawling with students of all grades. Naruto had been right; apparently people were not being allowed off campus, regardless of age. Keeping her arm linked through his, Sakura scanned the room quickly for any sign of a familiar face and spotted Naruto, Shikamaru, Ino and Hinata seated around a table. Smiling once again (she seemed to smile about everything!), she called Ino's name and waved, receiving one in return. Naruto and Hinata moved their chairs so Sasuke and Sakura had room to sit.

"So, what have _you two_ been up to?" Ino inquired, barely suppressing a grin that was on damn near all of their faces aside from Hinata, who only smiled shyly.

"We went for a run. It's so beautiful outside, and autumn is my favorite time of year," Sakura rattled off while Naruto and Shikamaru gave Sasuke significant looks.

"His too," Naruto supplied, trying to prod his dark–haired friend into being something other than a mute.

Sakura turned and tilted her head as she surveyed him; it took all he had to raise his eyes to her and stare back. "I'm going to get myself something...what do you want, Sasuke?"

His name came off her lips so sweetly, and he certainly noticed as he continued to stare back without speaking. Unperturbed by his behavior, she pushed her chair back and trailed her fingers across the back of his neck. "I'll just try to figure out what you like, then."

Ino jumped up and insisted on coming with her, taking Hinata by the arm and dragging her with them as the three of them left.

When they were out of earshot, Naruto slugged Sasuke in the arm a bit roughly. "If she can put up with you being completely mute, then damn, she must really like you."

"Let me guess, you haven't said a word to her yet," Shikamaru asked, picking at his teeth with a toothpick and exchanging a grin with the blonde.

"Not...really..." Sasuke muttered, lost in deep, extremely analytical thought that wasn't normal for a male his age, not over a girl, anyway. His friends were shaking his head at him in disbelief as he continued to stare at a random spot on the table, and he was only ripped from his muse when he heard her beautiful, unique name...being spoken by some other guy.

"...That new girl, Sakura..."

Naruto and Shikamaru glanced over their shoulders: A few tables away sat Takeru and a few of his acquaintances, leaning forward and in deep discussion about the three girls now at the counter; Ino, Sakura, and Hinata were also in a profound conversation and seemed to be oblivious to Takeru's hungry stares.

"The way _he_ treats girls, I'm surprised he didn't say 'whore'," Naruto growled, giving the guy an intense glare of hatred. Shikamaru had been in a scuffle with Takeru once and didn't care to do it again.

Takeru was the playboy, no mistake, and the disgusting part of it was most of the girls didn't care. So indecent, his treatment of them and their more than willing attitude toward it all. While Sasuke wasn't one to pick fights or create waves, he'd had the urge to punch this guy on more than one occasion. His fingers were clenched into a shaking fist, knuckles white and pressed against the table as he listened.

"I bet she's easy," Takeru told them, brushing shaggy brown locks from his tanned face.

"Easy as fuck–"

"Easy _to_ fuck," he interjected, snickering as he watched Sakura thank the girl behind the counter and wait for the other two.

Sasuke slammed his fist against the table, expression slowly contorting into an ugly grimace. Eyes narrowed, red crept up his neck again out of anger and not discomfort as a muscle in his lip twitched. Shikamaru leaned forward and hissed, "Don't get angry, man, it's not worth it."

"I should take that girl to Homecoming," Takeru said, leaning back on two legs of the chair. "Show her a good time."

"Sasuke!" Naruto warned, trying in vain to quell Sasuke's short temper. Sadly, it didn't look as though it would work. The Uchiha mouthed the words 'that girl' with disgust and made to stand up, but the blonde yanked on his arm. "Don't!" He was already seeing red, and even if he had only known the girl for a few weeks, hadn't even spoken to her once, he wanted nothing more than to snap on the guy. He had no excuse. He didn't need one.

"Think she's a virgin?" one of them asked Takeru; now all three pairs of eyes were on the girls and Sasuke turned in his chair, held back only by Naruto keeping a firm grip on his upper arm. Sasuke could see the playboy stripping her down with his eyes alone and that was enough justification, in his opinion, to rip his throat out.

"I'd bet on it," Takeru snickered quietly.

"Goddamnit, Sasuke, stop," Naruto hissed, practically wrestling with him to keep him from standing.

"I'd take the one with the blue hair...she's a shy one, but–"

"What–did–he–say?" Naruto said, relinquishing his grip on Sasuke's arm and standing, ignoring Shikamaru trying to talk him out of it.

"Go on, then," Takeru snapped, turning his hungry gaze on the girl with the jade eyes. "'Cause that one's _mine._"

Many heads turned in response as Sasuke's chair tipped and hit the tiled floor with a piercing clatter; he was on his feet, standing above Takeru, seeming unnaturally livid as he stared down at him. Naruto was at his side and Shikamaru stood as people started to whisper all around them. Takeru stood and only half an inch separated the heights between them as he glared at Sasuke, whom did not speak and let his narrowed eyes indicate his anger. Takeru opened his mouth.

"What's _your_ prob–"

**SLAM.**

Screams erupted in the cafeteria, along with a slowly growing chant of "Fight, fight,"; Sasuke had clocked him straight in the jaw and sent the guy flying backwards over the table he had been sitting at. Blood was spattered on the floor and on the faces of those closest and now Takeru was getting up, holding his nose that was bleeding profusely down the front of his shirt. Hand soaked in crimson, his brown eyes flashed dangerously as a flush of anger and embarrassment came into his face.

Without warning, Takeru shoved the table out of his way into a group of girls that shrieked and scattered, and leapt on Sasuke, intent on pummeling every bit of him. Another guy tried to help Takeru but Naruto cut him off; Naruto took a punch to the jaw and Shikamaru somehow had become involved in the mess...screams and yells of names and "Get 'im!" and the constant shrieks of "Stop it!" that did absolutely no good. Other guys tried to intervene and pull them apart and some ended up joining in, but the best fight was obviously the one no one tried to break up, the two guys tearing each other apart with near–killing intent.

"What the _hell_?" The girl at the coffee shop leaned over the counter and stared, open–mouthed at the boys rolling over and over on the floor, a mess of freshly shed blood staining the floor. For numerous feet, across the squares of tile. Ino and Hinata turned and Hinata screeched when she saw the brawl, dropping her coffee to the floor and it exploded, being Styrofoam, and spattered everywhere. Sakura shoved past Ino and rushed forward, tossing the cups to the ground when she saw who was fighting.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?" she screamed, watching Takeru slam his fist into the side of Sasuke's skull; the latter kneed his opponent in the ribs and landed a punch on his already shattered nose; they continued to roll on the floor, over and over, obscenities rising to a din and culminating with the rest of the noise–

Ignoring Ino's protests, Sakura ran straight into the middle where Sasuke was and slugged Takeru, whom was currently on top, in the arm. He turned his head and snarled at her, and she grabbed a handful of his shaggy hair and yanked. "GET OFF OF HIM!"

Face contorted in pain, Takeru swung his arm and hit her in the ribs; she shrugged it off and let them roll again and now Sasuke was on top, and Ino was screaming at her to get out of it. Without further pretense she fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around Sasuke's chest.

"Stop it, Sasuke...please...stop it."

And it was only this, her angelic voice pleading, that made him lower his shaking fist.

"Sasuke," she whispered, clutching him closer as his body shook violently, adrenaline coursing through each and every inflamed vein; the room, and all those faces, they were spinning and he closed his eyes, letting her heartbeat pound against his back. It was calming him.

"TAKERU! SASUKE!"

Sasuke didn't need to look to know the owner of that voice. He'd heard it many times before.

Sakura stared up at the towering man, comfortable in his superiority and quite aware of it as he stared down at them, dark hair and thin rimmed glasses adding insult to injury. Importance.

"Let's go."

* * *

I'd be like...oh shit. 


	4. Ch 3: For Keeps

I love their personalities in this. Emotionally retarded Sasuke, but just as in the manga, he has good reason for it. His family is pretty fucked up in here too, which you'll learn about...eventually, and trust me, Sakura's not as perfect as she comes off either. Review. Blargh. It's raining where I live. :(

**Chapter 3:** For Keeps

"_Get him out of here."_

_Staring at him with those dark eyes. Both of his parents, and his brother, had them. _

_Like liquid onyx._

_Now he was staring them down, his cute little face etched with the utmost confusion. The unfamiliar doctor standing over his poor, sickly mother, whom was lying in his parent's bed, limbs splayed ungracefully across the rumpled sheets. The former turned curious eyes on Sasuke, along with his father and Itachi, standing at Mother's side with a somber expression. It seemed. The glint in his eyes and the smugness that toyed at his thin lips was so clear to Sasuke, but he had no say in the matter. He never did._

"_Get him out!" His mother shrieked, clutching at her face with once perfectly manicured nails, now bitten to the quick out of stress and fear. Fear of him. Her youngest son. _

_The little boy felt his insides wither in front of these harsh, accusing, unkind stares. Ruthless hate. For things he didn't understand, did not do. _

"_Sasuke, you heard," Itachi said lightly, though his tone contradicted the frigid gaze of his dark eyes. _

"_GET OUT!"_

_Sasuke's insides were writhing as he blinked away swiftly rising tears; shaking violently, wrapping his arms around himself and praying, desperately, for some comfort. There was no one. Her voice hit him like a slap across his plump little cheek, a face not yet thinned by the handsome, studious Uchiha bloodline. The smack would sting and heal every single time, only to hurt worse as he was beat down again._

_Lip trembling, Sasuke stepped forward, the ache to be held, to be comforted, almost unbearable. It was in his eyes, the loneliness, the dire want of some solace from anyone. _

_His mother sat up, eyes locked on her youngest son. A terrified, meek, forlorn voice echoed in the silence._

"_Mo–Mommy."_

"_GET HIM OUT!" she shrieked, eyes wild and alight and adding to the insanity already present in her voice. Sasuke stumbled forward, still struggling not to cry in front of his father or brother. Hand outstretched in a desperate plea, he said it again. _

"_**Get the fuck out of here**__!" His father's roar shook him thoroughly to the core, setting the young boy cowering. Taking him by the upper arm, he yanked his son off the floor roughly as his knees gave way, half–carrying half dragging him across the wood. Sasuke's body shook with suppressed tears. _

"_Father–"_

"_Shut __**up**__!" _

_**THUNK.**_

_The man had thrust him over the threshold and thrown him to the floor, taking no notice as Sasuke's skull smacked the wood with a loud sound that made the doctor look on curiously. But he did not comment._

_And when his father slammed the door shut, the little boy remained curled on the floor, ignoring the throbbing pain in his head. Instead wondering, as children often do, how everything was his fault. _

_Somehow, he was able to convince himself it was._

* * *

The handsome upperclassman jerked awake, raising his tousled head from the desk. Disoriented. Grimacing at the fierce chills dancing up his spine, he rested his chin on his folded arms and stared at the wall ahead of him, taking in his surroundings. White walls, one small desk and two chairs, two glass windows on either side. Like an interrogation room, and he, the accused. 

ISS. In School Suspension.

He vaguely remembered the talk with the Dean the evening before, though with him losing his temper and upending an ashtray over his new suit, and Takeru threatening to bring in his father, it didn't go well. In the end, it was decided that both the boys be punished, but only for one day, because any more would surely lead to inconveniences and lawsuits. Mostly because the Dean wanted to go home, and left two unlucky members of the staff to watch the boys make faces at each other through the glass, _scream obscenities _at the soundproof glass, and eventually pass out on their respective desks.

Sure enough, Sasuke could see the bowed, shaggy head of Takeru, flat on the desk. He was obviously asleep.

Through the other window, the main office was visible, the head of one of the better known secretaries moving constantly as she answered the phone and did other mundane tasks. Or maybe it was that little tic she had acquired after so many years of kids coming in to steal the candy in the dish on her desk. After one day last year, when she had finally, as the staff had put it, 'lost her nerve'; the day she had stalked around the hallways in her clicking heels and pelted office supplies (the heavy ones, like staplers and pencil sharpeners) at students and staff alike. Shrieking incessantly for hours on end (to the amusement of many) that they (her caramel chocolates) were her last solace in a cold, lonely existence. That she didn't go to college for so many years to become a secretary in a school, handing some spoiled girl a tissue every time they got themselves caught smoking in the restroom.

_And the counselor thinks I'm strange, _Sasuke thought savagely, yawning widely and stretching his arms across the table. _How do they know that the motley of overpaid, alcoholic, insane teachers they've hired aren't the ones pushing the students to–_

_God damn it, why am I getting on a sarcastic rant so early?_

An abrupt wave of dizziness swept him as his stomach twisted painfully. He was starving. The asshole of a Dean had left them in here overnight. Like prisoners.

He rose his gaze to the clock: Eleven–thirty. Well over twelve hours, but with no one to wake him up and no reason to be awake, since he was not allowed to leave, he'd just continued sleeping. Right now, Naruto would be sleeping too, on his desk in English III, Hinata gently prodding him before the lady with the tiny green studded glasses decided to ask him a question. Hinata would read and explain the text to him quickly so the boy didn't come off looking like a _complete_ idiot. Ino would be talking to Tenten, Shikamaru would be sleeping and ignoring Lee's persistent questions about the lesson, and Neji would be watching Tenten talk, only to huff insufferably and glare. He didn't like to be caught watching Tenten.

And Sakura...she would be snapping her gum loudly, head resting on her hand, staring out the window while flipping through the text. English came easy to her, but she didn't listen to the constant lectures about Hamlet and that guy that loved his wife so much he strangled her to death, to keep her with him forever. Sasuke had no idea what his name was, but Sakura would. Occasionally brushing that one strand of hair out of her face, smiling with her nose all scrunched, wishing she was outside or at the very least, had coffee.

"Uchiha!"

Sasuke jerked in response to his surname, crackling slightly, called over the intercom.

"ISS is not for catching up on sleep, it is for studying. Or in _your _case, learning to quell your murderous intent," the secretary drawled, evidently amused by her own sick humor.

"Then _you_ should be in the fucking asylum for your caramel–induced outbursts," he snapped dangerously. "And your tendency to _sleep around_ when you have to go to work the next day!"

He looked through the glass; she was glaring at him over the top of the spotless counter. Raising his hand in a rude hand gesture, he roughly turned his chair around and sat with his back to her.

A minute passed.

"Uchiha, you have a visitor."

He grunted in response, folding his arms and not turning around.

"I'm letting them in."

No answer.

Even as the light footsteps tapped across the white tile, he stared with narrowed eyes at the glass, watching the shaggy–haired boy sleep. What he wouldn't give to punch him again.

"He's a real asshole, innit he?"

**THUNK.**

Sakura set the textbooks onto the table and kneeled on the floor next to Sasuke, who had promptly fallen out of his chair and, quite painfully, onto the tile. She giggled.

"Didn't mean to scare you, Sasuke," she whispered quietly, (in his paranoid opinion, quite seductively), hand still out. Staring up at her mutely, he accepted the proffered hand and let her pull him to his feet. He sat once again, and she went to the corner of the room and dragged the extra chair to the table. Expecting her to sit across from him, he willed himself to relax.

Except she pulled it right it next to him and sat next to him without any pretense.

Her thigh touched his.

She slid her elbow across the table, resting her head on her hand and looking at him. "Look...it's my fault you're in here in the first place."

Sasuke rose an eyebrow, confusion rippling somewhere amid the discomfort. _Not really._

"Indirectly, anyway," she amended, smiling slightly. "What you did...was just...unbelievably sweet, you know that?"

His flush deepened for more than one reason; she didn't remove her piercing gaze from his, letting soft jade eyes roam his handsome face. Defined jaw line, dark, glittering eyes that were now surveying her intently, wide with the discomfort she was clearly enjoying bestowing upon him.

"But you got in trouble, and I feel bad about it," she whispered. Whether she was keeping her voice down to keep it from being heard by the secretary's intercom or whether she was lowering her it huskily to watch him squirm, it was bothering him immensely. Her light fingers rested _innocently_ on his thigh, long nails dragging across the denim torturously slow. Feeling every little touch more easily than expected. Close, suffocating. Touch.

"So..." she continued, leaning forward, not once removing her eyes from his. Gripping the edge of the table, he stiffened, letting her lips trail across his jaw line, his burning skin and up to his ear. Nails dragging again on his jeans, stretching her little finger to trail across the inseam–

He jerked uncontrollably, gripping the desk tighter as she applied pressure, just for a fleeting moment, forcing him to inhale sharply and grit his teeth as it swept him. Heat. Pleasure. Pushing him to see how long he would take it before he acted upon it. Lips caressing his ear gently, speaking against it slowly.

"So I'll get you out."

Her words echoing in his mind, every syllable creating the unnaturally thick atmosphere. Unable to breathe around her. Her scent came now, enveloping him fully as her fingers squeezed his thigh roughly with pure pleasurable intent. Higher this time. Something stirred and his exhale _–oh god please. _Closing his eyes, teeth clamped on his bottom lip to prevent anything more, he let her press her tongue firmly against the back of his ear, breathing heavily and –_it's driving me insane. _

Touch.

Fingers traveling higher, poised, with relish, to keep going.

"Make...this convincing," she stammered purposely, voice laced with breathlessness and just a hint of a whine that made him quell a moan, clenching his teeth. Barely above a whisper, so it could not be picked up over the intercom.

Opening his eyes a bit, he turned his head and looked over his shoulder; the secretary wasn't watching anymore. Besides, the table –_the goddamn table!– _was hiding everything.The lure of _her _was just too temptingbut before he could form another coherent thought, she stopped.

She pulled away swiftly, arranging her cute features into an expression of deep concern. Placing the palm of her to his forehead, she said loudly, "Sasuke, are you all right?"

Not wishing for someone to be hurt (which could lead to being sued) on her watch, the secretary turned her head toward the intercom and then looked through the glass; Sakura was holding the boy carefully now, as if afraid he would pass out. His confused, flushed, glazed look only helped everything along as she motioned for the secretary to come in.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know, he must have a fever!" Sakura said tearfully, her flawless acting not wavering in the slightest. "It was so sudden, but then his breathing got really shallow and he started acting disoriented."

It was all true: While his breathing was more ragged than shallow, and his entire body radiating heat, he was struggling to understand why Sakura was doing this

"Take him to the nurse," the secretary ordered. Sakura nodded and slipped an arm around him, nudging Sasuke to his feetThrough the door, into the main office with a few concerned secretaries with a bit more heart gazing after him, 'tsk' ing at them motherly as they made their way past Takeru's ISS room. The brunette was openmouthed, body twisted around in his hardbacked chair as he watched that same girl help Sasuke walk; she occasionally giving him a worried look to further play the part. Takeru flipped him off and mouthed something unnameably coarse, but Sakura saw this and stole a glance at the secretaries; they had moved onto their undoubtedly boring work.

She pressed her slim body against the window, smirking, and mouthed clearly, "_You can't touch this._"

* * *

Sakura let out a loud laugh as she let go of Sasuke's sleeve and spun in a circle in the middle of the hallway. 

"The funny part is, they'll never check," she giggled, seeming oblivious to how he was staring at her. "So you're free, and I don't think I'm going back to English–"

"I beg to differ," interjected a curt voice.

Both students whirled around to see none other than Sasuke's counselor striding confidently up the corridor, heels clicking as her narrowed, dark eyes rooted them to the spot, flashing that blinding smile. Sasuke twitched noticeably while Sakura surveyed her with limited reservation. She glanced at him again, noticing his narrowed gaze and set jaw.

Something glittered in his dark eyes, and it was not friendly.

"Sasuke, dear–"

While unable to speak in front of Sakura, he rose an eyebrow at the counselor that clearly told her to shut her mouth. Halted by intimidation, the woman opened her mouth, paused, then closed it.

"I'd like to speak to you, Sasuke."

Sasuke immediately shook his head, lips pressed in a thin line as though suppressing quite a few choice words.

"It is the Dean's wish that you do," she said firmly.

"This isn't about the fight," Sakura whispered quietly, surveying the woman with intense dislike through jade eyes, jagged as shards of sea glass.

"Whatever the subject, it's none of your business, girl," the counselor told her, a smug look on her fake features. Turning to Sasuke, she clicked her tongue and turned on her heel, indicating that he follow; after a moment of glaring at her, he complied, hands shoved in the depths of his pockets. They were halfway down the hallway, passing a wide window through which a courtyard was visible, milling with students from a Chemistry class, before Sakura yelled.

"I want to come too!"

Sasuke's head jerked up as he glanced at her over his shoulder. Fixing his gaze upon the woman in front of him, he spoke to her silently, knowing very well she knew what he wanted. Of course, she denied him a bit of solace.

"Private matters between Uchiha Sasuke and I are none of your concern, Miss Haruno," she spoke in a dangerously poisonous voice, honeyed but certainly not sweet. Mocking the girl's name with contempt and obvious disapproval, as though she were a mother that was less than ecstatic about her child's friends. "You need to return to class."

Sakura rose her eyebrows in surprise, but kept her composure. "Sasuke is the order of business, is he not? So if he decides to allow me to sit in on your discussion, it would be his right."

"No, Miss Haruno, it's _not_ his right," the counselor retorted smugly, not at all taken aback by the manipulative attitude of the girl. Turning on her heel once again, she stalked off haughtily with the dark–haired boy in tow, turning the corner so sharply she hit her shoulder against it.

Sakura pursed her lips, then sprinted down the hallway after them, not ready to give up so easily. Unfortunately, they had already disappeared by the time she had rounded the corner and now a hall monitor was hanging around, looking for someone to punish. Sighing, she slipped into the nearest restroom and waited for him to stop pacing the hallway in front of the office.

Checking her phone, she had two new texts. One was from Ino, asking if they were going to hang out with the guys tonight, and the other was from Naruto. Replying quickly, she held her hand in the door to hold it open as she peered around it, scanning the hallway. Deserted.

Flipping it shut, she let the door swing shut without a sound and walked at a decent pace, just on her way to the office to pick up a permission form for something, listening to the murmurs of the school. Phones rang occasionally, roaring laughter erupted in a classroom; the first lunch was extremely chaotic today.

Something caught her eye.

An entire wall of plaques were arranged on the stone wall, different in size and color and the color photos within them clearly illustrated the generation gaps. Telling a story, creating a timeline of the families, the parents that had spent their years here and were now sending their children here as well. Awards for miscellaneous achievements, sports and broken records and now she looked closer.

Running her fingers over the words etched in gold, she squinted to read, whispering to herself:

"In honor of Uchiha Fugaku, age thirty–four..." While the photograph had faded slightly, the resemblances to Sasuke were overwhelming, the chiseled, handsome countenance and dark eyes, even the way he held himself. So familiar.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but it's good to read the biography underneath.

"_Two_ children?" she mused, furrowing her pink eyebrows in puzzlement. Naruto hadn't ever mentioned another sibling. And then the other picture caught her eye.

"Uchiha...Mikoto..."

She placed shaking fingers on the picture of the woman. Her beauty was breathtaking. Ebony, shoulder length locks framing the pale, delicate face of a porcelain doll, hands ivory and folded carefully on her knee. "Age thirty–three..."

Again, the mention of another child whose picture did not surface.

_Could he have died too? But then, wouldn't he be up here? If he's alive, then where is he now? He has a brother to take care of._

Dazed from the possibilities, Sakura turned and put her back against the cold wall, biting her lip. She knew that whatever this was pointed to some troubled past, some trauma that Sasuke probably would never mention.

Well, it was something to think about.

Hearing a click quite near, she moved swiftly away from the wall and instead pretended to immerse herself in the large poster nearby. Turning her head, she saw him walking up the hallway; she flashed a genuine smile and he halted abruptly, glancing at her. Then to the floor.

He lips twitched in what seemed to be his attempt at a smile.

She giggled.

_He's so shy._

"Sas–suu–kay," she sung, sidling up next to him. Their footsteps fell in synch as they walked together.

"Are you coming back to English?" she asked quietly, placing her fingers gently on his forearm. His dark eyes snapped to attention; he looked at her hand. Watching how she touched him so tenderly and that same, rare expression almost came through. Stuffing his hands further into his pockets, she could hear his nervous habit of cracking knuckles, and he shook his head.

"Okay, then. I'll take you to your room," she exclaimed proudly, linking her arm through his and glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, smirking. Daring him to look at her sharp eyes, to defy or accept her words. All she received in response was a half–hearted shrug, but as she stared straight ahead, determinedly avoiding his gaze, he watched her carefully.Only when he was sure she wasn't looking.

True to her word, they went along to the other side of the campus, surprisingly, without being stopped once.The dorms were deserted at this time, midday, and in awkward (at least, Sasuke felt it was so)silence she unlocked her door.

"Again, look...what you did was sweet...oh, Naruto told me why you did it, by the way–"

_Thanks, Naruto. Why didn't you just tell her about the thong, t–_

_Oh...god..._

"–but still, don't get in trouble for me. Do you know how boring Chemistry is without you?" she inquired hypothetically, accustomed to his lack of response by nowUnfortunately, she seemed unaware of the way he stiffened and his fingers stopped nervously twisting in his pocket, deliberately toying with the material of that same black thong.

Still. In. His. Pocket.

"Sasuke?" She tilted her head and he jumped, as though she had just appeared in front of him. "What's wrong?"

Clenching the object in his fist, he slowly brought his fist out of his pocket, –_you have to give it back, it belongs to her anyway!_– but, –_she'll think I'm a stalker!_–, though, –_You are a stalker!_.Not to mention _–maybe she'll be grateful?_– even if –_Stealing her laundry qualifies, 'stalker',_–. All the while, she watched him at the eyes carefully as his neck grew warm, veins underneath layers of pale skin pounding with blood, because –_god, this just seems fucking weird!_

If she had any idea of the panicked thoughts roaming his mind, she did not call him on his internal struggle, instead watching, utterly confused, as he thrust out his hand, fingers shaking as they clenched the dark object. Part of it protruded from between his knuckles, but she still seemed puzzled.

_Do it!_, even if it was –_fucking unorthodox!–,_ but –_I don't want her to think I'm one of those weirdos that is so desperate they sit in their dorms at night and get off on softcore porn instead of finding a real girl!–,_ even though he really didn't know anyone who did that, but remember how paranoid he is and how 'rationally' he tends to think in times of crisis. At the moment, he had the mental stability of a hysterical female, minus the mascara tears.

Gulping, he pulled his shaking fingers apart and stared at the floor.

Waiting for a reaction.

_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck–_

_Why am I using that word?_

_Erm...frick?_

_That sounds stupid. Fuck._

_Say something, damn it!_

Mildly curious, Sakura reached forward and lifted the little black thong from his hand, holding it between her index and thumb. After looking at it for a second, she realized it was hers.

She stared at him.

He stared at the floor. _Please don't slap me._

"I must have left this in the dryer!" she exclaimed, now smiling. "Yup, this is mine," she continued, leaving the boy utterly dumbstruck, palm still out. "See, it's got this –oh well, you probably noticed–, the little jewel on the front, with the cherries, yeah, that's mine," she giggled. "Goes with my name, and all that."

And now she twirled it around her finger, overcome with laughter. Not as his plight, but maybe a bit of his obvious embarrassment.

"A normal guy would've just kept it, said he stole it from a room or some bullshit like that," she added, smiling kindly at him.

_Hah. Normal. Right._

She placed a finger under his chin and tilted his head up to look her in the eyes, sharp, crisp, sea–glass green to obsidian, glittering, wide–as–a–deer–in–the–headlight ones. Blood still pounding in his ears, just underneath his skin as she leaned a little closer, curling the tips of her fingers in his pocket. Soft, full lips brushing against his lips and instead making their way up to his burning ears, pushing her fingers deeper into his jeans.

"Keep this," she whispered. Letting his hand fall, at last, he placed his fingers over hers and felt the silky material from the object he'd just attempted to give back to her.

Pulling away, she slowly stepped back over the threshold, nearly pulling the door shut. Leaving a small space by the frame, she looked up at him, still silent.

"See you tonight," she whispered.

**CLICK.**

Whirling around, perspiring fingers clumsy as they tried to insert the key to his own room, hand slipping as they tried to turn the knob–

He stumbled in, slamming the door shut behind him and putting his back against it, breathing so heavily he was dizzy–

"There you are!"

Naruto surveyed his brother curiously, cerulean eyes shining with something mischievous, and Sasuke knew the look all too well. He was bursting to say something. Shikamaru opened one eye and yawned, sitting up as thought it were a chore.

"Yeah, I know, we're supposed to be in English." The blonde waved his hand vaguely, oblivious to the fact that Sasuke had been scared into his shell a bit too far to bother asking what would have been a normal question. "But I've been busy with something else. Okay, Shikamaru knows this senior who knows his brother who knows his cousin's girlfriend who has a boyfriend that–"

"Get to the point," Shikamaru drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Point is, Shikamaru got us into that club downtown, even though we're underage, and no no no, _here's_ the point: Guess who's going, and who you're going to hang out with _if it fucking kills me_, because I'll kick your ass if you don't?"

Sasuke slid to the floor, silent. _See you tonight._

"Here's your...what, fifth chance?" Naruto demanded, jabbing a finger at Sasuke, who remained silent. "So you'd better jump on that chance, damn it!"

"He's got a point," Shikamaru added, leaning back on his arms. "Look man, if you don't, someone else will, and the fact that you damn near killed that guy for talking about her proves you like her."

"You know how many people are talking about that?" Naruto asked. "And don't worry, I'll tell you what to say and how to act and everything! By the end of the night, you'll have her."

"Dating one–oh–one from Naruto," Shikamaru said in a skeptical voice. "That'll be something to see."

"Oh, fuck you," Naruto retorted.

"I prefer a _woman's_ touch, thanks."

"I need...a shower...and a metal pike," Sasuke muttered.

"The latter is for...?" Shikamaru asked.

"To stick through my skull when this night is over."

"Aaah."

Naruto ignored his friends' dramatizations. Something caught his eye.

"So, uh, what's in your pocket, Sasuke?"

* * *

_Chapter Four:_

"Sasuke."

Annoyed at how the blonde was gripping his arm, he scowled darkly but complied and followed his gaze.

And there she was, in the middle, smack-dab, surrounded by lights and the heat of other bodies, all searching for a little release, a little respite.

Some were using_ her_ body to do that.

"Son of a_ bitch_," Naruto said in an awed undertone. Sasuke twitched, slamming the glass a bit too roughly onto the table; it shattered, spraying liquid over the others and decorating his calloused hand with a few deep shards.

Neji eyed the angry Uchiha as he rose from the table and kicked it dramatically, as if someone had placed it in his way on purpose. Stalking off, the back of his neck burning and flushed, the brunette smirked and sipped from his own glass. He looked over the rim of it...

and choked.


	5. Ch 4: Broken Blue Crayons

If there is one thing I have to admit I like about AU's, it's the drama. :3 And that's what we're finally getting into, is some DRAMA.

Next chapter, I'm listing reviewers for Chapters 1-5.

So review.

But I still don't like AU's that much. High school drama is amazing, yet horrible.**

* * *

**

**Chapter 4: Broken Blue Crayons**

**KNOCK.**

"Get outta the bathroom, bastard!"

**KNOCK.**

"I need to piss!"

**KNOCK.**

"You take too long!"

**KNOCK.**

"You're like a woman!"

Sasuke yelled a reply, unnameably coarse, through the bathroom door, and Ino slid off the bed and socked Naruto in the arm. Hard. Whoever had idiotically stated that girls could not hit, or were weak, had never hung around this blonde.

"Sexist," she joked.

Naruto slumped against the wall, acting defeated and wounded, his mock expression of hurt consequently marred by his toothy grin.

"I'll _bruise_!" Naruto whined, clearly mimicking her high–pitched voice with relish. Grasping her wrist, he twisted it gently; he'd never hurt her, but all the same she struggled.

"No, seriously, idiot, _I_ bruise easily!" she whined. The similarity in her tone and the one Naruto had so jokingly copied was startling. As they began to wrestle outside the bathroom door, Shikamaru watched silently, leaning back on his arms. Expression unreadable.

"You suck!" Ino burst out, muffled as Naruto pressed her body against the wall and smirked.

"No, that's your job," he jibed, cringing (with a smile) as she growled.

"Every time you say that, you get your ass kicked," she threatened with an almost disturbing half-smile.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, then glanced at Shikamaru, whom seemed completely indifferent.

Thankfully, the knob to the bathroom door turned and Sasuke slammed his shoulder against Naruto's, sneering in a good–natured manner. "There you go," he snapped. "Make yourself beautiful."

"You should talk," Naruto replied, scowling cheekily at his brother. "That's your second shower and primping session today!"

Before the dark–haired boy could retort, Naruto laughed and slammed the door shut.

"Oh _oh_," Ino said, eyeing Sasuke up and down. Rolling his eyes, he walked past her and flung himself face–first upon his bed. He turned over, seeming ruffled.

"You'll wrinkle your shirt that way," she jibed, climbing on Naruto's bed and sitting cross–legged near Shikamaru, who did not speak.

"Frankly, that's the least of my worries," Sasuke sighed, unconsciously curling and uncurling his fingers.

"You're being paranoid," Ino stated bluntly. "It's _so_ obvious she already likes hanging around with you."

"Has she...said that?" The boy sounded tentative as he asked.

Ino gave him a piteous, albeit patronizing look. "Female ESP. I don't _need_ to ask."

Shikamaru eyed her blonde locks impassively, staring at the ruffled patch in the back, mussed from her fooling around. He didn't comment, but reached out, behind her head, to fix them.

Halting abruptly, some unknown emotion flitted across his face that Sasuke could see was not a good one. He lowered his hand.

"I'monna get ready. Anyway, just relax, 'kay? You like her, she likes you, I'm_ totally _notseeing the difficult part of this," she drawled, sliding from the bed and straightening, throwing her long locks over her shoulder. "Except that maybe you're being too shy around her."

"Weren't you just leaving?" Shikamaru said harshly, cutting across Sasuke's sarcastic remark.

Ino rolled her eyes, muttering an impatient 'tch!' under her breath. She left in a huff, shutting the door a bit harder than necessary behind her. Shikamaru stared it with narrowed eyes.

"Are you two–"

"Don't wanna talk about it."

Sasuke seemed slightly taken aback by the cold tone of his friend. A normally laid–back, rational and calm guy; hell, downright lazy when it came to things that needed to be done, but undoubtedly loyal. Slightly irked at being cut off, Sasuke made a distinct noise under his breath.

"We've just been arguing." Shikamaru's tone was unnaturally cold and littered with a deep–rooted pain that he would not admit to. "It's just been worse lately. I've never been one to be jealous, but..."

Grimacing, Shikamaru broke off and jerked his head irritably. "I get why you got so mad before, you know? At first I thought you were overreacting–" Sasuke noticeably bristled. "–but, listening to that must have been a drag. I saw how angry you were," he continued, a grin making it's way onto his face. "He deserved it. You really like her, don't you?"

Sasuke stared at the floor a long moment, then nodded. "This is about you, though, not me." Stealing a covert glance at the bathroom door, he lowered his voice. "Are you angry with–"

"No," Shikamaru said firmly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, and the other faltered. "But it takes_ two_ do that, and...it's just been lately. It's her problem and mine. I'm not going to get into a fight with one of my long time friends over a girl. We'll work this out."

Long pause.

"Shikamaru?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Worry about what?" Naruto asked loudly, strolling out of the bathroom with an air of being very pleased with himself. Zipping his jeans, he looked at Shikamaru expectantly, while Sasuke rose an eyebrow at his brother.

"That was fast," Sasuke commented, simultaneously glancing at Shikamaru, who was standing and heading for the door. Sasuke cleared his throat and the guy looked around. Exchanging a significant glance that went unnoticed to Naruto, whom was currently on the floor of his closet, throwing clothes out of it, Shikamaru left.

"He's still comin', right?" Naruto asked Sasuke, looking at him over his shoulder as he dug through layers of accumulated filthy laundry (in the short time of a few days), in search of the floor. Sasuke nodded in response, and his blonde companion let out an 'Aha!' of obvious triumph. Raising an eyebrow, the dark–haired teenager peered at the object his friend was waving above his head, clutched in his hand. A glass bottle.

"Erm," Sasuke began, not having the slightest clue as to what it was. His friend answered the unspoken question for him by popping off the cap and spraying Sasuke full–on in the face.

Sputtering, swearing, he blinked away tears from the stinging sensation and managed to choke out, "Naru_to_!"

"Trust me, she won't be able to resist it," the blonde stated seriously. Sasuke retched.

"I smell like I just came out of a fucking department store!"

Naruto grimaced at his rage and turned the bottle over in his hands. Tilting his head curiously, he winced. "Yeeah...wrong bottle. This is Hinata's perfume."

Sasuke crossed the room hurriedly, still retching as he forced open the double doors to the balcony and stuck out his head. Ebony locks teased gently by the warm summer air, as he continued to spit and sputter and swear, choking out, "You still _have_ that?"

Pacing a balcony not more than three floors below was Ino, discussing something of obvious importance with Tenten. By the way her hands were flying in dramatic effect, you would think she was reenacting a play and taking on the role of every character herself, but Tenten seemed troubled as she listened intently. Sasuke pressed a closed fist to his lips in an attempt to stifle his coughs, trying to decipher something other than the name that he wished would stop cropping up: Something about Naruto.

Somehow, Sasuke knew that could not be good, but the nagging, volatile irritation in his throat forced him to fall into a spastic coughing fit once more. Feminine voices halted abruptly in their seemingly never ending stream of conversation, and the piercing voice he had, unfortunately, recognized since childhood, punctuated the night air, traveling the campus:

"SWITCH TO FILTERS, FOR GOD'S SAKE!"

"Oh, fucking _witty_," Sasuke muttered savagely, leaving them to their discussion and cursing his brother for the nth time for keeping that annoying perfume.

More than one reason lied beneath Naruto's annoying attachment to her cherished items from long-ago preschool days.

_Long midnight locks and broken blue crayons..._

* * *

Getting inside was easy enough: Shikamaru handled the man at the door, obviously well–connected enough to get them in without a hitch, and even Sasuke was impressed at how calm their friend appeared. Crossing the threshold (and leaving some annoyed people waiting in a line behind), they took a few steps in and halted abruptly.

The place was huge, there was no doubt about that, and people were everywhere, crowded around tables and lingering on staircases, calling to one another. Lounging over railings that overlooked the dance floor, heckling friends and strangers alike, jeering and teasing and beckoning. A constant crowd migrated and milling on the blood red carpeted stairs, coming on and off the dance floor, to and from the bar, emerging from reserved back rooms.

Naruto turned immediately to the dance floor, where males and females alike were in their own world, clearly lost in the pounding bass and heated lights, sweeping upon the constantly moving figures. Sometimes lit up so clearly you could see them sweating in the thick air, sometimes graceful silhouettes, thrown into the privacy of darkness.

Before he could take a step, Sasuke grabbed his collar and followed Shikamaru, who called loudly over the deafening music, "Let's find a table! I don't want any of you lost in this place!"

Making their way to a table in the corner, they threw their jackets down and, after a moment of shoving, Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neji all managed to slide into the booth.

"You say you've never been here before?" Neji inquired loudly, as Shikamaru ordered drinks and waved the girl away.

Shikamaru grinned and shook his head. "Nah. My father helped this guy's father, who has two sons; the oldest owns this place."

"I thought it was someone's _brother_..." Neji trailed off, his tone unctuous and sardonic.

"Where's Ino?" Naruto asked abruptly. Shikamaru scowled and lowered his brunette mane, intent on folding his jacket. Ruffling it unnecessarily but keeping his less than happy expression nearly undetectable, he coughed.

"Probably somewhere in there," Neji stated, jerking his head toward the pounding, colorfully lit dance floor, choosing to skim over the tense atmosphere in calm indifference. "Ah, drinks."

An unseen state of annoyance and agitation hovered, threatening as an impending thunderstorm, over the four young men as they drank in silence. A silence quite unnatural, not the soothing, friendly lack of noise from those that were friends, but a bit of a darker symphony that was positively straining at it's weak binds. Binds that were only as strong as a brotherly bond.

With white eyes, the Hyuuga surveyed the floor with a strangely similar expression to Sasuke's. Raised eyebrows in curiosity and aloofness at the unorthodox behavior exhibiting itself upon the lustful masses; oh, his (and Hinata's) upbringing was so terribly proper. Exchanging a glance with the stoic Uchiha, whom was tapping his nails against the already empty glass, Neji sighed and rose his head-

-and stared into those familiar, chocolate brown eyes.

"HI, NEJI!" Tenten greeted, head bobbing up and down in time with the steady bass. The boy seemed to let out a sigh as she rested her chin in her palms, elbows propped up, thin frame stretched delicately across the table. "I was wondering when you'd get here."

"Where have you _been_?" he inquired sharply, the tone of his voice trying to instill, perhaps, a sense of personal conduct that she should adhere. Unfortunately, the girl waved his possessive questions away and leaned forward as he continued to scold her crossly in light of his silly superiority complex.

"–Furthermore, you've probably been dragging my sister around as well, and if anything happens to her I'll have to answer to my mother-MMMPHTEN!"

Naruto gaped, Shikamaru kept his eyes fixed on the dance floor, and Sasuke edged away slightly and put out his glass to be refilled as Tenten interrupted her boyfriend's pompous speech by crashing her lips against his, reprimand lost in the stolen breath of air between them. Ever stubborn, he was still attempting to scold her.

With very little resistance.

"_Please_ come dance with me," she breathed quietly, the normally impersonal boy forced into silence by her chocolate eyes, glazed with an ardent craving.

_Indulge._

**I am the drug you can't deny**

**And I am gonna get you high**

**Tonight...**

Unorthodox it may have been, but it was worth it. Naruto cocked his head in amusement and Sasuke rose a pretentious eyebrow down at the Hyuuga that had slumped in his seat between them and disappeared under the table. The act was so horribly arrhythmic it was laughable, but in a few seconds Neji stood tall with that irrefutable monarchic air, took his girl with her dangerously animated personality, and swept her away. Off the crimson carpet and onto the dance floor, so alight and crowded with everything that Neji detested and was raised to look down upon. Disappearing within the mass, they were lost in a throng of glimmering sweat-slicked bodies, of swaying, grinding, rocking hips.

"Well _she_ sure pulled the stick out of his ass, ne?" Oh, blondie _did_ have the knack for breaking content silences, to be certain. Neither Shikamaru nor Sasuke chose to comment. The latter's sharp eyes watched the bodies, moving swiftly and slowly, passionately or raunchily amid the crowd; arms around waists, groping and greedy hands, murmurs lost in the overwhelming bass. Lyrics, too, swirled, faded in and out and–

A flash of pink hair.

"Hel-_lo_!" A lanky blonde snapped her fingers obnoxiously in Sasuke's face, clearly annoyed. "I asked you a question, you pompous _ass_."

Sasuke growled and rewarded the girl for her efforts with an exaggerated roll of the eyes; she leaned back, surveying the three boys seated around the table in a strange, almost fetishistic manner, then folded her arms.

"I've been waiting for you all to get here," she said ruefully, eyes fixed on Naruto. Said blonde was slumped comfortably against the seats, cerulean eyes not once leaving the female's, the atmosphere spiraling into peril as Shikamaru's features contorted into an unusual expression, for him. Sasuke glanced at his brother, then at Shikamaru, then at Ino, whose expression held something akin to contempt and defiance.

"Naruto, will you dance with me?" she inquired, lip curling in a sadistic manner as she watched her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye.

Naruto blinked once in obvious confusion, letting his arms slip from the top of the cushions as he leaned forward, silently asking if she was serious.

"Do you mind, _Shikamaru_?" she spat, still holding that spiteful look in her eye.

Shikamaru folded his arms. "Have at it."

Ino's eyes narrowed, bestowing upon him a scrutinizing gaze; tense seconds passed before Naruto deftly hopped onto the table and climbed over it, none too gracefully. He was about to walk away when he halted in his tracks, facing the dance floor.

"Sasuke," he muttered, looking at the dark-haired boy over his shoulder. Nettled, Sasuke followed with his eyes the direction Naruto was looking (and now, being ever so covert, pointing) and felt something inside him clench, a convulsion warranting so many emotions.

Her figure swam in and out of focus, and at first Sasuke could only see colors: Rosette locks, long and swirling, ivory skin streaked and dashed with the tints of the moving lights above the floor, bathing her skin with radiance, then snatching it away.

Throwing her delicate, slim form into enticing darkness.

Naruto slammed his hand upon the table, jerking Sasuke from his reverie, and was now positively jabbing his finger at the pink-haired girl, clear across the dance floor. "What the _hell_ are you waiting for, idiot? Get on that–"

"_He means,_ go dance with her already," Ino interjected, supplying a bit of grace.

Naruto yanked his friend by the arm, pulled him from the booth and gave him a powerful shove into the throng, off the carpet and onto the dance floor.

"Go!"

Sasuke saw it again. A flutter of pink locks, ruffled red material fluttering around her pale thighs from the constant motion of bodies around her.

Rocking hips.

Without another thought, his legs impelled him forward as he maneuvered through the large mass of bodies and slicked sweat, in pursuit of what his father would probably consider a 'promiscuous little harlot'.

When in reality, she was his beautiful obsession.

**I got a messy new compulsion,**

**And you already got the notion,**

**Of what I need so**

**Give it-**

**Give it-**

**Just give it to me.**

* * *

She fingered the ends of her long, midnight blue locks with her elbows propped on slightly vibrating knees, surveying the thick throng of people with a downcast expression. No one would notice her, the petite girl in the blue jeans and the unneeded sweatshirt she donned for the sole fact that she did not want to be looked at. She did not possess the confidence and in her mind, never thought she would.

She felt frumpy and invisible in comparison to the girls she saw stepping on and off the dance floor, the hatred of self-image that had plagued her since childhood.

_Playground flower-picking...broken blue crayons..._

She wasn't stupid; all she had to do was take off the jacket and take a step near the dance floor and just like that, she would be swept off her feet by an unnameable stranger. She could attribute it all to her looks, and that didn't sit well with her.

Not that she'd ever have the stones to get near the floor, anyway.

Picking moodily at a loose thread in the couch cushion, she rose her head to survey the people. She saw Sasuke storming through the crowd, moving deftly but perhaps ruthlessly to his target, her pink-haired friend that seemed to be smiling to herself as if she knew. She probably did. In her ruffled red dress that flounced around her thin, ivory thighs, leaving little to the imagination, no one dared touch that girl. Surrealist.

Hinata sighed, wishing that she had asked Naruto to dance with her.

Unfortunately, she knew very well that even if she had found the blonde-haired boy (_broken blue crayons)_ somewhere, she would never be able to ask.

* * *

Exotic.

Said the ruffles, dusted richly red under the lights and dancing with a mind of their own around her thighs, pale in the occasional flashes of strobe. No strap dared hinder her body and its movement, nor did she hold a single imperfection in the glowering eyes of the boy, memorizing every detail, every move her thin form made. The music had forced her mind into an ambrosial trance, addictive and able to pull in, preventative of those who tried to pull away. Rosette locks danced gently across her shoulders, the sweat of the air undoing the carefully set curls that she must have had before.

White light.

Passed over her, chasing the suggestive darkness from her body if only for mere seconds and he could see the perspiration dotted upon her collarbone, beaded on her forehead. Thin but defined hips gyrating slowly to the music and constant, steady bass resounding across the floor.

And Sasuke kept walking with no clear thought in mind, except to be the one to touch her first.

**I got a messy new compulsion-**

He halted behind her, watching her swaying hips and feeling almost gluttonous and greedy for doing so. At each turn the ruffles would rise and fall and flutter tantalizingly around her defined, pale thighs, and just seeing her dare to move that way flooded him with urges to something suggestive, _drastic_, whatever it took to get to _feel that_-

The dark-haired boy stopped breathing as two jade eyes glittered in the half-darkness, watching him intensely but expectantly. Full, cherry lips parted slightly in amusement, she murmured, "Sasuke."

Both knew they were beyond greetings. He was craving, she was teasing, and the latter's intent was undoubtedly sadistic, the walking product of sin so easily in her grasp. She damned the obsessional to hell and kept them there. Head turning away, she resumed her dancing, knowing full well he was watching and driving himself insane. When her fingers fell lightly upon her hips, fingernails dragging on the rich, red material tightly adorning every curve, he couldn't muffle the growl of frustration that escaped him. That she heard.

_Fuck._

Without opening her eyes her hands reached behind her and latched onto his black shirt, ruthlessly pulling him forward to force their bodies together clumsily. Not breathing out of pure shock, he stood immobile for a good moment before her fingers laced themselves through his and pressed them against her sides, on her tiny waist. Hands soaked with sweat, mind spinning, he closed his eyes as she dragged his calloused palms off her waist and down to her grinding hips, holding them there. His chest cradled her small back and he could feel nearly every part of her against him.

Satisfied with his hold on her hips, she let her nails trail up his arm a bit before bringing her hands back, lacing her fingers across the base of his neck and forcing his head to settle in the crook of her neck.

"See, this isn't so hard," she breathed, the facetious hint of a laugh barely hidden in her labored breathing. Sasuke cursed through gritted teeth as she ground back against his hips; oh, she knew, and he bitterly thought, again, _fucking witty_ as she continued the painfully slow gyration against his hipsHis fingers tightened convulsively on her dress, fisting the ruffles as every muscle within him tensed against her as she fed his arousal with relish, moaning slightly.

Abruptly, she eased herself from his grasp and turned to face him, not dancing anymore. Thrown for a loop, the dark-haired boy felt considerably embarrassed as she stared at him intensely, at how she had left him. Words escaped him.

She smirked.

Turning on her heel, she darted into the gyrating crowd, and he knew she wanted him to follow.

To chase.

His eyes were on her bright pink locks as she ducked and flitted through people, not once causing a disturbance. He, on the other hand, owed several people an apology as he cursed and shoved in frustration at the fact that she was teasing him and he was blindly following her.

She was standing off the floor near a row of red couches, waiting for him with a mischievous, seductive smile. He reached her, half-seething, half-lustful at her game.

Breathing arduous, muscles tensed, he took her by the upper arms and lightly shoved her off balance, and she fell into a couch.

I'm waiting, I'm waiting... Turn out the lights. 

For a moment she was clearly dazed intoxicated by the dancing lights and that sudden, unmatched moment of unrefined thrill when for one second, she had slipped out of control. It was frightening and unnerving, yet also so very addictive, and warranted an obsession of her own. Obsidian eyes surveyed her with a mixture of fear at his actions, surprise at his own daring, and warranted an involuntary shudder from the pink-haired girl. A breath caught in her throat.

Shaking hands shot forward and fisted his shirt, using him as leverage to raise her weight from the couch; they stood nose to nose. For a fleeting second he imagined her crashing her cherry lips against his and his stomach twisted itself into knots, but she turned gracefully around and shoved him in the chest. Landing agrestically upon the red couch, he gave a start as she immediately placed her thin hands on his thighs and leaned forward, jade eyes never leaving his as her lips parted delicately. Invitingly.

Though she did not press her lips to his, instead touching them to his burning ear and gently biting it. "I really like you."

He inhaled sharply as she dragged her nails down his chest, increasingly annoyed at her airy nonchalance while he writhed beneath her, flushed, frustrated and aroused. Something angry and primal glittered in his obsidian eyes, poised and prone to break.

A surprised squeal was lost in the pounding bass, and his snicker, unheard: His hands gripped her hips tightly and she looked considerably ruffled as she straightened a bit, realizing her position and his daring. He had pulled her right _onto_ his lap, albeit awkwardly. For the first time that night, the faintest pink dusting decorated her ivory cheekbones as she felt him against her, his eyes gleaming in the shadows. A shudder graced her spine, emitting from the now-flustered girl a slight whine that forced his fingers to tighten on her again.

She lowered her head, gazing up at him through delicately curled eyelashes with smouldering jade eyes, dark shards of sea glass. She relaxed and settled her hips onto his, thighs barely covered by the red ruffles as she straddled him; all at once, she let her weight fall upon his groin and he groaned in response, sliding his fingers to her back and pulling her closer. He watched her shrug her shoulders to quell the forceful shudder that violated her body, felt her thighs tighten against him as she murmured something indistinct. So beautiful, how her rosette locks fell across her shoulders and framed her face, flushed from her dancing and most likely, from this too.

She rolled her hips again, movements slow, felt him hard against her. Her lower body practically trembled and her fingers fisted his shirt, lips against his ear with her unbidden, throaty whines coaxing him to grind back. Their rhythm was graceful, agonizingly slow, littered with sweet murmurs that neither would remember, but want to hear again. Coarse jean rubbed between her creamy thighs, an area barely covered save the thin red material, the same color of her dress; he bit his lip and roughly thrust her body against him, harder. A passing strobe light revealed their figures, slicked with sweat and limbs tangled awkwardly around one another, her dress hitched high upon her thighs, his chest invaded by her practiced fingers and long nails. Minds lost in the heat, the music.

Lost in her pleasure, and his obsession.

One word in his sultry tenor set her shuddering again... "Sakura."

"Sasuke," she whispered throatily, nails digging into his muscular chest as he forced her against him, harder, physically pleading for release.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Clashing sensations of pleasure still wracked her body; Sasuke was concerned at the glazed look on her face, eyes darting around in search of the voice. Heartbeat slowing, equally confused, he struggled to regain his keen senses as the screams attracted attention from everyone on the dance floor.

"YOU THINK THAT'S ANY _EXCUSE_?" Shikamaru's voice.

The disturbance was great: Lights were slowly flickering on and the music, quieting as muttering erupted in the large room like whispers. She could recognize her best friend's voice.

"I-Ino?" she murmured, eyes softening as the sweat began to chill her. Sasuke was familiar with the childhood voice as well and sat up awkwardly, unconsciously holding the pink-haired girl around the waist. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the female Hyuuga standing with her hands over her mouth, toes turned slightly in as she struggled to see over the heads of so many curious people.

Sakura loosened herself from his grasp and carefully stood, putting her arms out for balance; she swayed from a lack of energy and the bright fluorescent lights that were flickering on, and he caught her.

"Come on," she murmured, tugging on Sasuke's sleeve as kept her steady.

Her thin, little fingers shock as they gripped his black sleeve, pushing their way through the crowd. Sakura stumbled-

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

"Really? Accident? Does _Naruto_ think it was an accident?" Shikamaru demanded. It was rare to hear him raise his voice above a yell, but he was outright roaring.

"That's not _fair,_ Shikamaru!" Ino screeched.

Sakura ran out of the crowd, face flushed, Sasuke on her heels. Ino and Shikamaru were standing a foot apart, positively screaming at one another; Neji and Tenten stood behind Shikamaru, and Naruto was a few feet away from Ino, undoubtedly embarrassed.

"Don't give me that, Ino!" Shikamaru warned. "It's always the same with you. You just never know what you want-"

"SHUT UP!"

"It's true, Ino! I'm telling you what you_ don't_ want to hear!"

**SLAP.**

"SHUT UP!" she shrieked, arm still shaking, held in the air.

"INO!" Sakura yelled, rushing forward and grabbing her wrist. "Stop it! He doesn't deserve that, Ino, he's been good to you! _What_ is going _on_?" she pleaded, face bloodless and stricken.

Wrenching herself from her friend's grasp, she kept her lips tightly closed, for the blonde girl knew she was in the wrong and could not bring herself to say it.

"When I said 'have at it', Ino, I didn't mean it literally," Shikamaru said quietly, eyes narrowed.

"We. Danced," Ino protested through clenched teeth, cheeks flushing from anger.

"Really? Sticking your tongue down his throat is dancing? GUESS I'M A BIT OUT OF THE LOOP!" Shikamaru yelled, furious beyond what any of his friends had seen.

A strangled squeak made heads turn: Hinata's pearly-white eyes darted from Naruto, to Ino, then back again, and she stared at the blonde boy. He met her gaze and shifted uncomfortably, but the damage was done, and while she bit her knuckles, she scolded herself _you weren't even dating, you just liked him, you said you wouldn't like him anymore, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't-_

Hinata inhaled slowly, feeling so many eyes upon her, waiting for it. She turned away slowly and walked with her shoulders high, as though able to build a wall to protect her from the piteous onslaught.

Something broke.

She ran out, hating herself for letting everyone hear her sobs.

_So much for childhood yesterdays...littered with broken blue crayons._

* * *


	6. Ch 5: Kink In The Chain

Hah, hah, hah.

Seriously cannot believe I'm still doing this.

Oh yeah, I lied. It's 12:47 AM, and I don't feel like listing reviewers.

( passes out ).

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Five: Kink In The Chain**

"_Mother never hated me."_

_His smile was unusual, not forced nor wholly genuine and as was typical of the eldest child, those rare attempts of normalcy never reached his eyes. Something unnaturally facetious lurked within. _

_Startled, rankled, Sasuke bit his lip to keep from unleashing the dangerous accrual of anger he held, frightening in a child so young. What was a mature boy of nine years old to say to such a statement, proclaimed with such certainty that it was difficult to argue? Little eyes full of confusion darted around, an unconscious gesture that pleaded for help. Unfortunately, the only answer laid before him, in the form of an older brother feeding him awful, but valid, truths._

"_After you were born," Itachi continued, placing his arms behind his back in a manner reminiscent of their father, their grandfather, and all of the males in the studious Uchiha lineage preceding them. "Mother became… extremely sad, you know that? Depressed." Displaying that natural attunement to aristocracy, the elder brother began to pace._

_**Tap.**_

_**Tap.**_

_As his leather boots sounded dangerously against the wooden floor, the threatening and foreboding rhythm echoing in Sasuke's ears. _

_Suspension. _

_**Tap.**_

_**Tap.**_

"_She never felt that way until _after_ she had you." Itachi said this lightly, almost offhand save the startlingly vacant expression gracing his handsome features. Mirror of his father. _

_Sasuke felt blood seep from his bottom lip, and squeezed his eyelids tightly together whilst the coppery taste invaded his mouth and tongue without pretense; he shivered._

_The eldest brother tilted his head as if intrigued. He smiled. "What's wrong?"_

_The little boy refused to answer lest he betray any hurt in the presence of upstanding and well-to-do Itachi, Fugaku's pride. Nevertheless, the sadistic prodigy caught the eyes of his younger brother, which were shining and glossed delicately with unshed tears. _

"_Are you realizing just how much of a burden you really are?" Itachi demanded, suddenly angry. Expression statuesque, maddening, sadistic._

_Sasuke stood erect and struggled to display that same untouchable, unwavering stature, to no avail._

_Uchiha Fugaku had trained his first son undeniably well. And as Itachi raised his arm, Sasuke watched those muscles tense with anticipation and out of shock did not react accordingly to the blow to the back of his neck. Crumpling heavily, as expected, a faint, unbidden whine escaping his throat from the millisecond of pain as he hit the floor._

_He did not remember falling but recalled being dragged off the floor by the collar, held and shaken and screamed at as he floated in and out of consciousness. _

_Remember-_

_The cries of his mother, a body once so strong and now, so frail, resounding in the high ceilings of their home. The roars of his father roughly throwing any object he could get his calloused hands on, the hands that protected lives every day, barraging him. Barraging him with curses and all those purple marks. _

_Remember-_

_The satisfied smirk of his eldest brother, forever branded in the little boy's mind as he refused to save him. _

_Watching as their father hurt him, again, again, never lifting a finger. Never aiding in any way except to whisper to Sasuke in the dead of night the horrible truths:_

"_You did this, Sasuke."_

"_You deserve this, Sasuke."_

"_You are mother's pain."_

_Sasuke was used to being alone. It meant no one could get in._

"_And he colored me black and blue… broke my mind in two."_

* * *

Sasuke drowned Naruto's curses in one swift movement; pale fist colliding with the bathroom door, he closed his eyes tightly as Naruto stopped yelling. The latter seemed wary and concerned; his face was flushed in anger as he surveyed him frantically. 

"Naruto, stop _god-damn-yelling!_" Sasuke hissed, every word an effort to speak. Blood pounded in his veins, ears, chest, head, and everything was just so _red-_

**SLAM.**

**SLAM.**

"Why _shouldn'_t I be fucking yelling?" Naruto demanded, struggling to remain calm.

Sasuke's fists slammed against the wooden door again, a steady succession, _just like when he hit me, he never held back, no mercy, no mercy-_

"You went along with what Ino did, all right?" Sasuke stated in an only slightly flat tone. Notes of anger crept in, so noticeably.

"Don't you fucking tell me this is _my_ fault!" Naruto roared, kicking at the closet door as if warding off a rabid canine. "Best friend, my ass!"

"You were wrong in what you did, get the fuck over it!" Sasuke retorted, turning away and slamming his numb fist into the wood, struggling to regain control, because he couldn't handle it when his anger rose, or when people around him were furious and _no mercy, and he left marks, and I would take it, I had no choice._

"She's a damn slut!" Naruto yelled. "I didn't _ask_ her to get up on me and-"

The dark-haired male whirled around, eyes glittering, a clear illustration and warning sign of what could possibly follow should he reach his breaking point.

Oh, don't go that far. Too far.

"You, Shikamaru, I… we've been friends since we were in fucking preschool! Fucking idiot, you _knew_ they were dating, you fucking _knew_ and you let it happen anyway!"

"It's not as if it doesn't ever _happen_," the blonde mumbled, shrugging in an unconvincingly nonchalant manner.

"And don't justify it!" Sasuke hissed.

"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do, you nagging fuck!" Naruto screamed, advancing quickly on his brother with aggressive intent. "What the hell were you doing while I had this slut all-"

"Don't call her a slut!"

"Why not?"

"Are you forgetting she's one of your best friends?"

"Before she did this!" Naruto yelled, shoving past him and going to the window; the outside was dark and the sky, starless. "And now Hinata-"

"I don't understand why you talk so much about Hinata," Sasuke accused ruefully, clenching and unclenching his fingers, already numb and flooded with purple from several broken blood vessels. "You convince everyone you don't like her, then you act like you do. You say you don't want to hurt her, but then insist her feelings don't matter. Make up your fucking mind and if you do like her, stop beating around the bush and get some stones and tell her!"

"Oh, you're one to talk, the stupid fuck that ends up in a vegetative state every time a girl that likes _him_, says 'Hi!' You know what happened, Sasuke."

"You were _eleven_, Naruto!"

"Her family won't let me near their precious daughter," the blonde said loudly, words littered with regret. "Aristo-cratic-Hyuuga," he spat, each word heavy with anger. "Like I'm a stupid mutt from the other side of the tracks. They're ridiculous, pompous, treating other people like scum, typical fucking rich family-"

"Don't."

Naruto swallowed, watching his friend closely, but for the first time that night, went silent.

"You should know that… people in those families… aren't so 'typical'," Sasuke muttered, glaring passionately at the blonde.

Tense silence.

"I don't have a chance with her," Naruto said bluntly. "End of story."

"Whatever," Sasuke murmured, wrapping the fingers of his uninjured hand around throbbing knuckles; the pain was surfacing. "Do as you see fit."

"I'm sorry, man," Naruto mumbled. "I forgot… you get angry and… it's not good for you-"

"Not your fault. That's my problem, this mess is yours."

And with that staccato, clipped response, the dark-haired Uchiha silently accepted the apology with only a quick glance that the blonde was familiar with. Stalking into the bathroom, he shut the door a bit harder than necessary and forced himself to focus on something, _anything_ but the events of that night.

Far away from childhood promises, bitter rivalries, and especially rosette locks, and ruffled red dresses-

Oh, lovely obsession.

_Her scent lingers…_

* * *

"Don't open it." 

Azure eyes mocked her, locked on ones of jade. Long fingers snapped the cardboard top open easily and proceeded to remove the thin sticks from their package.

"Don't put that in your mouth!"

Already in her mouth, held fast between bloodless, pasty lips with her hand already sliding in her pocket-

"I dare you to light that!"

**CHHK.** The smell of lighter fluid wafted near Sakura, who kept her eyes narrowed at the tall blonde on the bed. Full lips twisted, the pink-haired female struggled to keep her composure.

"Whatever. You had better not smo-"

Her companion blew a puff of smoke toward her, the expression upon her pretty face sardonic, contemptuous.

In seconds, Sakura had jumped from her bed and brought her hand back; Ino seemed unperturbed as the pack of cigarettes went flying out of her grasp and unceremoniously hit the floor.

"Won't solve shit," Sakura snapped. "You said you wanted me to help you with it, and I am."

Crossing the room, red ruffles of her dress dancing, she snatched up the package and held it at arm's length as she strode to the balcony and threw it over the railing. "Not again, Ino."

Her friend did not respond, instead relished the addictive nicotine taste of the stick in her mouth and threw caution to the wind by continuing to waft smoke near Sakura, who advanced on her, snatched it from her lips, and threw it on the floor.

"Tell me why the hell you did this," the pink-haired girl demanded, crushing the cigarette into the carpet with her red heel.

"I just… did it," the blonde responded lamely. "Don't know why."

"You shouldn't have slapped him," Sakura scolded harshly. "You were wrong!"

Ino raised her bright eyes to her companion, features contorted in an ugly grimace. "You're supposed to be my best friend. How 'bout hearing me out?"

"You don't have a real reason. And I am your best friend, Ino, I care more than you know, but what you did was…really _fucking stupid."_

"I didn't expect it to happen, I was angry at Shikamaru, I didn't think!" Ino burst out, channeling her frustration into removing her heels. Fumbling with the straps, she continued. "I know it was stupid, it was all a stupid temptation and I don't know why I did it and I _know_-!"

**THUNK.**

Face as flushed and richly colored as Sakura's ruffled dress, Ino glared at the shoe she had thrown against the wall in her anger. Bringing back her arm-

"-That it was stupid and I _know_-"

**THUNK.**

She flung the high-heel against the wall, leaving a grayish scuff.

"-That Hinata likes him so damn much and I… I-I _thought_ he was…"

An awkward pause descended in which Ino faltered, uncertain. It struck Sakura as considerably odd, for it was rare to see the opinionated blonde grasping at invisible straws or deities for the important factor that she was steeling herself to submit.

"I saw him with _her._"

A tense pause of disbelief. Jade eyes softened in sympathy.

"Ino-"

"I saw him with _her_, that dirty blonde, backstabbing little cheerleader!" The tall blonde shrieked, eyes glossed with tears of nostalgic anger. "She fucked with my shot at Varsity, she fucked with my mind and my reputation and then she fucked with him!"

Sakura's mouth fell open as her pretty face contorted into a horrified, disgusted expression. "NO!"

"Not literally, but she was messing with him and he wasn't even telling her off and I was so angry, I didn't know what to do, so I-"

"-Hooked up with Naruto, to get him angry, to make him-?"

"Confess! Apologize! Something!" Ino yelled, wringing her hands as if she was tempted to rip off her own flawless face. "Something, anything, he's been with me for so long, why couldn't he-? He should have just told me if he didn't…like me… anymore."

"I don't think he's fallen out with you, Ino," Sakura reassured quietly. "I think this is a serious misunderstanding. Things like this always are."

"It'd better be," the blonde muttered savagely, leaping off the bed and crossing the room with a prowling, furious gait, masking her frustrated sob as she slammed the bathroom door shut.

Collectibles, picture frames, and precious memories rattled upon the shelf; Sakura straightened them with careful fingers, cast a lingering look of sympathy towards the door, and flung herself upon her quilt, staring up at the ceiling with a scattered mentality.

It was a mess, and there was certainly no other prudent description in its regard. All based on hearsay and misconstrued details cleverly marred by gossip.

A vibration beneath her pillow ripped her from the jumbled daydream. Exhaustion held her on her back, so she groped blindly in the sheets for her phone and upon locating it, flipped it open. A new message in her inbox, from Neji.

Some sense of unwarranted foreboding coiled within, but she relaxed as the black on white letters glared darkly, a plead that she would never hear from his prideful lips.

"**Please help me with Hinata. She can't stand it anymore."**

Sighing, Sakura pressed her knuckles against her lips and racked her intelligent mind for an answer; oh, she was wishing she was awake and focused and had any ability to refrain from thinking about that night.

"_Sakura…"_

Mentally jerking her head, she rubbed the heel of her hand against her eye, smearing black across her face like paint. Fatigue was taunting.

Carefully, her fingers worked the cherry-red straps of her pumps as one experienced thumb quickly tapped the blue-lit buttons:

"**I'll do whatever I can."**

Shoes slid from small feet and hit the floor, one after the other. Simultaneously, the "send" button was pressed as her body sunk into the soft quilt. Haphazardly yanking other blankets over her, the intent of undressing and finding pajamas a mere suggestion that now, meant little.

Turning her face into the pillow, she inhaled deeply, intoxicated by the crisp, male scent. Lingering, penetrating the skin upon her neck and arms and waist and every part of her that he had touched, forcing a shudder through her fatigued body. Therein laid the catch of comprehension: Physicality. Intuitively, she knew no one else had ever been so close to him, an object of affection or anything else hovering in his grasp. Past a dark, off-putting exterior existed something dangerous, glittering, compulsive, feral. Everything that enclosed him, and everything that she wanted to _feel_.

Thin fingers shook as they wound themselves anxiously around the dress ruffles, body pulsing, burning, aching in the dark.

"_I really like you."_

"_Sakura…" _

It frightened her, how her voice seemed to plead without conscious thought, that addictive whine.

"Sasuke…" she whispered, mind detaching itself from a plain reality, indulging, instead, in the reality she remembered from hours ago.

Under the white lights.

* * *

**BING. BING. BING.**

Hinata gathered her books quickly, direly intent on escaping her English class without being noticed. It had been troubling and difficult enough to refrain from speaking to Naruto during the entire period, and ignoring his apologetic expression made her feel extremely guilty. Nevertheless, the day dragged its feet obstinately in her regard.

She mentally ran through a list of the books she needed for her next class, unzipping her shoulder bag, when someone carefully tapped her on the shoulder.

"Narut—Lee!"

Towering over her was Rock Lee, his smile covering his entire face as he stepped back prudently to let her shut her locker and stand.

"Ah, Lee," she began quietly.

"Did I startle you?" he inquired, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in a none too discreet manner; perspiration was beading on his forehead as he seemed to keep his grin deliberate and show all his teeth.

"Oh no," she replied, wondering what on earth could be making him so flustered. He was an upright, _nice_ boy; "nice" was truly the description of his character. As he held his hands behind his back, ( and she noticed them shaking), she gave him a warm smile. "How are you?"

"Hinata?" His voice was higher than normal, and the swaying from foot to foot became more pronounced, more difficult to ignore politely. He seemed nervous.

"Yes, Lee?"

"H-haveyouseenthesignsforHomecoming?"

"…"

"Ah, sorry, you probably could not understand that! ThesignsforHomecoming, um, haveyouseenthem?"

And then he flushed.

"Oh yes, I have," Hinata replied, relieved that it was only a normal conversation. "It's in two weeks, it seems as if the school year is flying by already-"

"Hinata?"

Noticing that he had interrupted her twice, she frowned in concern. "Lee?"

"I have a… question."

"Well, all right."

"Will you…"

"Will I…?" Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Naruto round the corner and spot her.

"Willyou… cometoHomecoming… with me?"

"What?" she replied immediately, startled, hugging her books to her ample chest as a fierce flush spread across her cheeks. "With… me?"

"Yes, Hinata Hyuuga!" Lee said loudly, also blushing considerably. "I would be honored if you would let me take you!"

"Hinata, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, walking up to them, trying and failing to seem as if he were passing by with no intent of interrupting.

"Nothing is wrong, Naruto; Lee is asking me to a dance," she replied as coolly as she could muster. It was enough of a tone to make Naruto seem surprised.

"And you said?"

"She has not answered yet," Lee told him a loud whisper.

"I… would like to go with you," Hinata said, speaking directly to him and ignoring Naruto.

"Really?" Lee asked eyes wide.

"Seriously?" the blonde asked disbelief apparent on his face.

"Yes," she said kindly to Lee, "And yes," she repeated, adopting a cooler tone as she answered Naruto's question. "Now, if you will both excuse me, I have a class to get to. I'll talk to you later, Lee."

Clutching her books tighter against her chest, she turned on her heel and held herself as regally as possible, hoping Naruto was watching, regretting that she had said yes.

Naruto had the capacity to do naught, but stare.

* * *

_Chapter Six:_

_The days dwindle, time slips away. Sakura and Tenten attempt to help Hinata at Neji's request, while Ino seeks vengence on the girl that ruined ( and continues to ruin ) her. Sasuke flounders 'cause he's insane, and whatnot._


	7. Ch 6: Linger

Apologies that it took so long. Gosh, my college searching and job has been devouring more time than I thought possible. Nevertheless, here is chapter six, which I rewrote several times out of pickiness. Remember Neji is Hinata's brother in this story, not cousin. We get a new look into Sakura's past, as well as Hinata's. The song lyrics are from a tune that really gets me, in the tearjerking way, and it'll relate to more than one character in this story. Anyway, I'm babbling. ) Read and review and hopefully, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Six: Linger**

Hinata Hyuuga had been handed many things in her life by default.

Soon as the fluorescent lights hit her pale face and eyes she was placed into the arms of a live-in nanny with overwhelming credentials. Who wrapped her in a lavender blanket and brought her into a pale cream room to learn how to pour tea and bow to superiors and other meek and mundane formalities. Certain foods and clothes which forced stiffness and stuffiness and royal persona upon its bearers. Drapes of only the finest materials adorned the large sun windows, like a young girl in a lavish and pompous wedding dress at the insistence of her mother. Terribly overdressed.

Her mother was a lovely woman that was never around. Always trying to dovetail the family into some sort of peace that only proved to be shoddy imitations, and begrudging love came piecemeal.

Hiashi Hyuuga yearned for a son. And when the newest addition to the illustrious family was granted his pastel blanket and held in front of the kitschy-decked French doors; the slit of the world's eye pulling apart, his sepia locks caught by the cockcrow light, Father rejoiced. Here was a promise, little Neji, and no one spared even an eye-blink to the eldest daughter.

The girl that rested in his wife's arms, eyes wide and ears open and mouth, closed.

Mother bestowed a kiss on the forehead to her gorgeous miniature and tucked midnight locks behind tiny ears. She said unfortunately the birth of the eldest held no promise in the eyes of your father, a female, no less.

_Why did you have to go and prove your father right, Hinata? _

Fraternization with society dregs is hazardous to your place.

--

"A little overwhelmed?"

Tenten and Sakura's kind smiles shone on either side of Hinata's stricken face as the sprawling, grandiose store loomed before her: A carnival of color and people danced. The brunette's countenance seemed glazed in excitement as she proclaimed, "And somewhere in that store, Hina, is your dress!"

"The dress that is going to force these messy relationships to fall in place!" Sakura agreed, nodding in assent and taking a shoulder; the two friends propelled their third companion forward and the pinkette added:

"The dress that is going to make you absolutely gorgeous."

"Not that you aren't already," Tenten interjected, steering Hinata into the nearest rack to browse while Sakura's sharp jade eye wandered in a different direction. An ingrained feminine sixth sense stole her attention easily and pursed her lips, made her eyes dart from color to cut in search of perfection. Of what the curvy body would _make_ perfect. Perhaps confidence could be restored in the delicate process.

"Go on, pick out whatever catches your eye," Tenten said, waving her hand, laying out, for the reluctant and intimidated Hyuuga, the whole of the store that was to be her roaming ground.

"Pink?"

"No."

"Blue?"

"Hm, maybe a dark one."

"Orange, yellow?"

"A burnt orange, perhaps; only a canary yellow!"

The brunette browsed through and yanked out dresses on a whim while Sakura scrutinized them, pitting the shades and hues against Hinata's dark hair and light eyes. Done astutely, of course, because the "test subject" was aisles away, attempting to blend in with her surroundings. Not with the ambling innocence of a child trying to lose her mother by hiding in the racks; she did not want to be caught, like a crime-committer on the run. Father said crowded stores were hassling and the contents, trivial. Not that anything the girl put on would be flattering, much less give her even the _appearance _of importance.

Tears stung, formless needles pricking her eyelids. Criticisms within her head echoed in the scathing, derisive tone of her father, a reprimand embodied in the skip of a CD forever doomed to play and repeat.

"HI-_NA_-TA," Tenten sang, eyes lighting up as her head poked around a corner. Taking hold of her arm she pulled her to the rear of the store where Sakura stood waiting, looking rather like a ridiculous coat-hook with her arms laden, wrist to shoulder, with several dresses. As Hinata approached the pinkette grinned.

"Remember, you are to put on every single one, and then come out here and show us," Sakura said.

The addressed blinked in surprise and unsuccessfully hid a sweeping and frantic eye-assessment.

"Hinata, don't worry about anyone else. We're here to find you a dress, and no one else should have a problem with it. They're occupied. Now for heaven's sake, get in there!" And without further pretense, she pushed open the dressing-room door, relieved her load onto a large bench, and gently pushed the girl in.

**CLICK.**

Unsure of where to start, Hinata gingerly pulled a dress from the pile and held it in front of her. Her friends had cute taste, and it _was_ pretty . . .

Letting her jeans fall to a pool at her feet, then removing a plain gray shirt over her head, feeling her long midnight locks expose her neck and then cascade down her back as she stood in front of the mirror.

Wishing she were everything she was not.

She parted her hair in the back, pushed it in front of her shoulders to cover her breasts. Crossed her arms. Uncrossed. Cupped her hands at her waist, let them trail down to her hips and held them there.

Sigh.

Ran them along her backside for a moment.

Needles in eyes again, so painful and warm.

"Hina, need me to zip it?" Sakura's innocent question floated into the space from the gap between the floor and door.

"Um, I need a minute."

Quickly snatching up the powder-blue dress from a moment before, she stepped into it and asked her to come in.

Jade eyes lit up. "Oh, it practically shines!" she exclaimed as she pulled the zipper closed up her friend's back; it stuck fast near the top, and her face fell. Clucking her tongue, she pushed Hinata out the door while holding the top of the dress together.

"It's like Cinderella," Tenten giggled. Looks uncomfortable at the top, though."

"Won't zip," Sakura told her, peering around Hinata's shoulder. "You think a size up would help?"

Tenten put out her hands, depicting invisible curvaceous hips in the air. "But then the hips'll have too much room."

Another tongue-cluck. "Hm, a designer could probably bring in the extra material. Well this is a possibility. Next dress!"

"You _do_ like it, right?" Tenten asked. Hinata blushed a bit and replied that she did, and marveled a little at how casual they seemed discussing alterations of a dress, like it was no big deal. Like the dress was the problem, not her shape. Like the problem _wasn't her._

And so it went. Several were possible and some were a definite no and a couple were almost there; ah, the intricacies and pickiness involved in dress shopping, and it wasn't even prom!

It remained hanging on one of the many gold hooks in the dressing room: A mid-calf lavender party dress that emitted a casual but noticeably exquisite persona. Scrunched material, extra frills were sparse. Even without being worn it was a favourite.

Hinata nearly shook as she held it in front of her and tried to imagine wearing it, walking into the first semi-formal of the year and making an impression as she never had before. Rather, never had at all.

Stomach churned.

Unconsciously her arms shielded her chest from the view of her own reflection. Cast her eyes to the floor.

"I can't do this."

Both her friends were taken aback as she walked out in the outfit she had arrived in, and Tenten immediately inquired, "What about that last one?"

"Um, it didn't fit."

"Not true."

Hinata was startled to see Sakura narrowing her eyes, hands on her thin hips as she stared her down. "You didn't even try it on, did you?"

White eyes widened and fell to admire the floor. "N-no."

"Why not?" the pinkette demanded sharply.

Silence.

"Well, I guess if you didn't like the look . . ." Tenten murmured, looking uncharacteristically disappointed. A pang of guilt struck Hinata but it was simultaneously smothered, replaced by slight fear as Sakura grabbed her elbow and dragged her into the dressing room.

**SLAM.**

"That dress is gorgeous. _You_ are gorgeous. It highlights everything beautiful about you. Why won't you wear it?" Sakura said, almost in desperation; she wanted her to understand.

Silence.

"Take off your clothes."

"Nani?" Hinata could not prevent her native language from escaping in her moment's panic. She cleared her throat. "What?"

"Take off your clothes," she repeated, no trace of humor present in her pretty face. Hands still on her hips, she waited until the girl had shyly obeyed before standing next to her and looking in the mirror with her.

Sakura's voice softened. "What do you see, Hinata?"

After a moment: "I see . . . myself?"

"Don't ask me, Hina, tell me."

"I see myself."

"Do you like what you see?"

She stood, forlorn, in front of the mirror that bared every covering. She stood, listening to her mind buzz, a violently disturbed apiary with no escape holes in the fence.

_No. I don't. I never have. No one else ever has._

"You don't. You haven't for a long time," Sakura echoed, startlingly reiterating her thoughts. "I can see it in your face, when you look at your reflection."

Pinpricks in eyelids.

"I don't know who convinced you that you weren't pretty, or who has given you this idea that you aren't good enough. Whoever has, is full of shit," Sakura stated flatly, tone softening as she continued. "You have looks to be thankful for. Being shy isn't a big deal, and you have the ability to break out of your shell a little bit. And," she broke off to bestow a gracious wink and a grin, "Those curves can only help you!"

"It's . . . more than my looks, Sakura."

"I had a feeling."

"What do I do?"

"You can start," the pinkette began confidently, "by ignoring that doubting voice in your head. Whether it's your own or someone else's. Go on, right now. What is that voice saying?"

_I wish I wasn't so self-conscious._

Hinata murmured those words into the silence.

"So say you're beautiful. Say it out loud. No one can stop you and they don't have the right! Once you can do that and mean it, you've already changed for the better. So put on that gorgeous dress and show Tenten and I and don't let anything keep you from thinking you look less than beautiful."

Sakura smiled wide and left the dressing room bouncing on her toes.

And only a minute later, the door reopened.

A moment's sweet silence descended among the girls, in which Tenten's face shone like white Christmas lights and Sakura bounced on her toes once more; Hinata's pale face had already flushed with crimson.

"I . . . like this one."

Turning to Sakura, she pressed her fingers against her mouth in speechless gratitude; her smile spoke what words could not properly elucidate.

Finally she managed to say, like whispering, tenderly rustling leaves: "You're a . . . good friend."

Their eyes missed the uncontrollable twitch. Like a recoil out of an unseen pain.

Sakura beamed, the glimpse of her secrets hidden again.

Always between blinks and smiles was it missed.

* * *

Something about her smile seemed oddly excruciating. In the manner of intensity and perhaps, pain. Upturns of her pretty lips fashioned into a face of weathered stone which held the timeless aura of seeing many days and nights and horrors therein. It was unusual for her. Normally she emanated an almost unnatural glow of happiness; like a light chasing away all shadows, and with tender fingers would she cradle its victims.

Make them whole again.

_Well aren't I the fucking poet?_

Sasuke watched her order a coffee, bestow a smile, sunny-bright, upon the girl behind the counter, and pursue a far table with a threatening gait that he swore only he would be able to notice. He rose from his post and followed. Heads may have turned in her direction (Sasuke's expression immediately fell into a dark scowl that buffeted some attention), but by social standards she was still a threat to the female population, a piece of fresh meat for the arrogant jocks, an unnerving, coveted object for the shy males.

What did she do to him? Tie his tongue, make him sweat, invade his emotional walls and _eye-fuck her again, kid, and I'll snap your twig neck! _He hissed silently, effectively intimidating an underclassman by a glower alone into choking on his drink, who immediately diverted his gaze away from the thin, firm backside of the pinkette.

Reached her destination, a strange isolation for the lovely social butterfly he was tripping over himself to speak to.

Oh yes, that part of it was _not_ going well.

Sasuke felt angry eyes on his back as he loomed over the small round table, towering. How she managed to chill him to the bone with a sharp jade eye and parted full lips, he could not yet grasp, and it was with a sedated and full, greedy feeling did he take the chair she proffered with a push of her foot.

Awkward silence. The sound of her mouth gently cradling the cheap plastic sip-hole of the cup. It made him shift unnecessarily. _Lucky cup._

"Good afternoon, Sasuke."

He nodded in response. Regretted not speaking. Tying his fucking tongue in complicated knots. He had to do this. If he never was able to utter anything _but this_ . . .

"So how was your day?" she asked airily, making polite small-talk but leaning toward him all the same, traces of her earlier irritation absent. Or hidden. "What did you do without _me_ all day?"

He blinked, paranoid.

"Kidding. I'm sure you had more important things to muse about," she answered, and at the close of the final word he heard a faint bitter tone. He hated himself, honestly. Mute idiot.

More silence, punctuated with murmurings and conversations of other people, other lives.

"Well, Tenten and I took Hinata to get a dress for Homecoming, seeing as she has a date. I think it's wonderful, because I think it will really boost her confidence. And such a nice person to go with, too."

Sasuke cringed at her words; he wondered if Sakura had caught on to Naruto's strange affection for Hinata, or realized how many soda cans were crushed and ripped in half and now littered on the dorm floor out of frustration. He was nowhere near done beating himself over his incident with Ino, who had not spoken to the blonde male since that night, and Shikamaru was strangely absent in all outings and proceedings. Neji, too.

"Truthfully, I got the impression that Hinata was devastated about that night, but then, I don't know how Naruto feels, or if he knows how he feels. But no matter. Hinata will have a great time, and so will the rest of us," she rattled off, bringing her cup to her lips again. She gave him a fleeting glance, meeting his eyes briefly as he drank her in her every subtle move.

In that second, he could have just _taken _her.

Fugaku says again: "Promiscuous little harlot!"

_So what was mom? A goddamn saint?_

Using a blasphemy and "saint" in the same sentence made him laugh under his breath. A second later he felt sickened, thinking of his mother in an ill manner. She had been better than him, in so many ways.

That's the impression he got, anyway. Until he was born.

_ASK. HER. ASK. HER._

"Anyway, I was thinking of signing up for the Homecoming football game. Are you going to cheer?" she asked, giggling in a strained way. "I think it'd be a bit emasculating," she added, smirking.

Another awkward silence.

He looked up as her elbows hit the table; she locked her eyes on his. "Do you want me?"

Despite having nothing in his mouth, Sasuke choked violently, dropping his head to stare at the spotless tabletop. He felt her jade orbs burning into the crown of his skull as he struggled to breathe, and felt himself begin to wither under her intimidating gaze. Funny, how he felt the urge to kill ogling men but wanted to submit when she showed even a hint of anger.

"I asked you a question!" she said loudly, catching the curiosity of nearby diners and loiterers. "I want to know."

"Uh, am I interrupting something?"

A guy had come to the table, tilting his head between the feisty female and her companion, still clearing his throat. Shaggy coal hair was tossed carelessly out of his face and he leaned toward her, half-smiling.

"Ah, no," she replied, returning his grin with one of her own.

And her eyes assessed him.

Sasuke recovered from his breathing issue. He watched her watch the stranger, watched her watch him bend down and take her hand and _half-smile_ again and _tilt his head_ again and all those stupid quirks that seemed to be catching her attention.

"What is your name, stranger?" she asked quietly, almost . . . flirtatiously.

"You speak to me as a princess to a commoner," he replied, "And such is prudent. You are one."

"You flatter me," she giggled.

"I was inquiring about the upcoming dance. I've been hoping you were unburdened regarding a date." He glanced at Sasuke, whose face betrayed his mounting discontent. "Unless, of course—"

"No, actually. I would be glad to go with you—"

"Sai," he supplied, inclining his head.

"Sai," she repeated, blinking slowly. Sasuke observed every curled eyelash gently press against one another, bounce back into place as her irises surfaced again. Sai didn't miss it either. "Again, I would be glad to be your date."

"And I am honored to be yours," he said softly, lifting her thin hand toward his lips—

**CLATTER.**

Sakura and Sai and the entire cafeteria stared at Sasuke's retreating back. Chair lying tipped on the floor. His furious prowl parted a group of underclassmen girls, chattering akin to a gaggle of geese; as he passed, they watched him depart, sighing and squealing and wishing the heartthrob would spare them a passing glance.

Sorry. He's already fallen.

--

"You're kidding."

Naruto shook his head disbelievingly, almost laughing at the prospect. It was simply infallible.

"Damn, you amaze me. Seriously, a girl asks you a question like that and you still can't answer, especially when it's true."

The dark-haired male did not turn from his place at the window. Forehead leaning against the chilled, late-evening glass, he murmured, "How the hell am I supposed to answer that?"

"Dumbass! YOU SAY YES."

"You don't get it, Naruto!" Sasuke accused, voice raising as he swiveled, scooping up a textbook from his bed and threw it overhand against the wall. A loud 'THUNK' and it landed upside-down, spine bent back, on a pile of dirty laundry. "I can't talk when I'm around her. My tongue ties. I can't remember things. She gets under my skin—"

"And into your pants—"

"SHUT UP!"

"It's true!"

"So?

"So do something about it!"

"What, say 'Nice shoes, let's fuck?' _That_ always gets them!"

"Hey, that was one bad pick-up line . . ."

"Your point?"

Naruto hopped over his bed and put his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, mustering up every ounce of seriousness he possessed, and said, "You need to talk. You need to say hi. You need to say she's pretty. Say she smells good, say you like her laugh, whatever-the-fuck you need to say to get her back _before she gives up on you_!"

Without further ado, he steered his troubled friend around the beds to the door, wrenched it open, and shoved him out a bit harder than necessary. "And don't come back in until you get the message across!"

**SLAM. **

What unnerved Sasuke the most was not the fact that he had been kicked out of his room and that his friend was pushing him to fix his own pathetic romantic life while his own was in shambles, but that the door he needed to rap his knuckles upon was already ajar.

Light spilled onto the dim carpeted floor from room 208. Faint murmurs sounded from within along with soft instrumentals, and he took a step closer. Another. A silent animal covering the space between with no dramatics and drawing no attention. Driven by an unrecognized recklessness he stepped in the open space into the girls' dwelling.

Two beds, a balcony, a half-open bathroom door. Then details. Shelves of pictures and a dresser crammed with empty cigarette packs and spearmint gum wrappers. A docking station for a music player and a laptop with books piled upon it. Stilettos. A black cocktail dress on a hanger spread across the left bed; the left, laden with unsorted, folded clothes and a multitude of pictures.

Lights dimmed. Familiar smell enveloping him in the comforting and sedated sense she instilled with her mere presence. There was the distinct feminine atmosphere of perfumes from late nights past and pungent nail polish remover, faint cigarette smoke masked by sprayed air-freshener and . . . a candle. A scent that pulled his mind back to autumn and early winter. Pumpkin fields and apple orchards and smoldering leaves, crackling fires and a pinch of cinnamon. The cinnamon from the kitchen his mother loved to occupy, with her talent for baking and her endless love.

Taking another step, he could see the carmine color of the candle on her night-stand.

"_And I don't care what you might think . . . I think you've had too much to drink . . ."_

The words jumped at him from the speakers; the volume was low. Dark eyes roamed over the bed on the right, its rich red blankets, haphazardly ruffled underneath the scattered clothes and pictures. He stepped toward it, running careful fingers over her slightly indented pillow, across the warm sheets and folded clothes ( deliberately avoiding certain articles ), until he fingered the edge of a photograph. Taken on a disposable camera with a date in the corner of a year prior, her radiant smile dominating the scene; her cheek was pressed against another girl's, a dark brunette with crimson irises and a paler face. Caught in a whirlwind of carefree laughter, it struck her how beautiful she was in such a state, and recalled her strained smile from earlier.

Her flirting. To make him react. To do something.

But who was that other girl?

Curly handwriting . . . a letter peeked from underneath another picture, near-flawless script in bright green ink. Taking it by the corner, he slid it toward him.

It was an apology letter. Accepting responsibility for not being there at the occurrence of something unnamed, and understanding of not being forgiven.

" **. . . She had asked me to tell you something. While never having any idea of what was to occur, it was a precaution, just in case things did not play out as she wanted. She entrusted me to tell you that she"**

A large, bright green ink blot partially obscured the 'e' of the final word written, and nothing followed, not even a closing.

Shuffling through the contents of the open shoebox produced more photographs, some depicting them as preschool-age children.

Heartbeat stalled.

A letter informing Sakura of a wake.

He dropped everything and backed away from her bed, glancing over his shoulder as if she was to appear and berate him. Or worse. He paced, trying to shake it off.

"_Run away . . . run away . . . but that won't make it any better."_

The song still played.

He should have gotten out, but it trapped him. Her scent touched everything within the room, her memories and fears were hidden in nooks and crannies, her habits were revealed, and god, the clothes that touched her skin were lying on the floor and draped over chairs, strewn over sheets that she slept on. That he wanted her wrapped in.

In them with her.

Soak those rich sheets with sweat.

He took a step back slowly. Another, another. Eventually he felt the presence of the door, ajar, behind him, but he did not turn and did not look. He could not tear his eyes away from where she dwelled and what she owned and had touched.

_I'm crazy. Fucking crazy._

He turned on his heel—

And a knee was slammed into his stomach.

He fell to his knees at her bare feet, sputtering, as she demanded, "What are _you_ doing in here? You can't seem to talk to me, let alone hold a conversation."

Looking up at her through watering eyes, he was surprised to see her eyelashes brimming with unshed tears. Slim body adorning only a long nightshirt, hair untied and falling in waves over her shoulders, drawing his eyes to her thin collarbone and pale neck.

"Do I intimidate you, too?" she burst out, voice high-pitched. "Is that why you look at the floor when I look at you? Why you can't do more than act like a mute when I try so hard to make conversation with you?"

Startled, he rested back on his knees, listening.

"I know . . . that you can't get close to people, Sasuke, but could you drop me any sort of little hint so I know I'm not wasting my time?" she demanded, screwing up her face against the onslaught of tears. For all he had imagined, he could never have expected her to take it like this.

He raised himself on his knees.

"Just _leave_," she said harshly.

He stood. Silenced her. Almost scared her. Loss of control.

There was a gap to be breached, and she so wished him to.

He stepped within her boundary. Within the reach of the scents of shampoo and sheets that lingered around her and drew him, and perhaps other men, near. Tiny light hairs stood up on her arms and finally his fingers touched her. Brushed them across her cheeks, pressing against defined cheekbones carved so delicately into her pretty, pale face. Like marble. To her lips, full, pushing against the pads of his fingers. A thin neck able to be taken in his hands and fragile, breakable; her collarbone, naturally shaped and creating a secure crook.

She inhaled. His fingers found buttons. Her shirt was green.

Nothing greedy or perverse possessed his fingers: Deliberately he undid them with a masculine, strangely patient grace. Between her breasts they worked, knuckles brushing her navel as they descended, and her first reaction came as his fingers neared the final buttons, where they covered the area between her thighs.

A knuckle brushed; her breath caught.

Shirt hung open, baring all.

He began from her collar again and felt his way down, hands rough against her scrubbed-soft skin. Trailing fingertips over firm, perfect mounds and across rigid ribs. Moving to her sides and cupping a tiny waist; she made some indistinct noise again from her throat. Little body shuddering beneath his secure grasp as his hands continued, pressing against thin hips.

Third time's a charm . . . a moan escaped her.

Space was an obstruction and air, unnecessary. Let his hands fall to her firm bottom and clutched it, pressed her against him in a possessive act, this manner in which he claimed her and everything about her for his venal self. Abandoned balance and let her back hit the cool wooden door. It clicked shut and seemed to echo, hovering in the air like one frantic note, reminiscent of the same racing heartbeats involved. Trapping her lithe body with his also lean and muscular frame without pretense, tangling his rough hands in her strawberry-pink locks and he almost lost it, he almost took her, was nothing but quick breaths away from crashing his lips on hers and wrapping her in those rich red sheets—

Making her sweat.

"Sasuke," she whispered. It sounded strangled and somehow breathless. "You really are too late."

With the greatest regret skewed on her pretty face, she put her hands on his chest and lightly pressed him back, away.

"I didn't ask that question to hear my own voice, you know."

He willed it not to be what his paranoia was highly suggesting.

"I can't be doing this."

Swallow. Swallow that regret.

From somewhere far away he heard himself say, "Yes."

She knew what he was referring to.

"You should've said that earlier, Sasuke."

_I want you._

"It's one night. But you still have to wait," she whispered, grasping the doorknob behind her with fingers that, he noticed, were perspiring as she spoke.

She stepped forward and he stepped back, careful not to touch her again. Walked around her and lingered in the doorway as the lovely aura of her room seemed to melt into nothing.

"I still like you, you know," she murmured to his back. "I like you _a lot_."

Sniffle.

"Just . . . please open to me. I don't dance like that for my health."

Pause.

"Or don't. I'm not that great of a person, anyway."

**CLICK.**

And he leaned against the door, listening as she turned up the volume, the better to hear the song that little he knew was an admonition to her ears.

"_Run away, run away . . . you'll keep on running 'til you deal with today."_

_--_

* * *


End file.
